II: The Submerse
by Rakkoon
Summary: Sequel to The Surface. Full sum inside. If you have not read The Surface, this will be very boring to you. I hope this meets every expectation. Name has been switched .
1. Love You To Death

Hello all, and welcome to my newest story, the sequel to The Surface, Shadow of a Doubt.

**Summary: **Cole's still alive, and he wants more darkness, this time though, he'll go through any circumstances to get his hands on it. He's addicted to it. So he goes to Xemnas –who officially decided to step out of our affairs- and demands for more, but won't give it to him. More unfolds as Cole gathers up an army of Nobodies and tries to take over the Organization!

I do not own these lyrics, or Kingdom Hearts, I just like to write about them.

As you can see, the lyrics below are dedicated to my sister, who read all the way through The Surface faithfully –as did soraluver, thank you- and suggested this song to fit it. Except, it's the other way around, Gabriel was the one who died. And I would change it, but that's illegal.

_**Kamelot - Love You To Death**_

When they met she was fifteen. Like a black rose blooming wild. And she already knew she was gonna die  
"What's tomorrow without you? This is our last goodbye"

She got weaker every day. As the autumn leaves flew by. Until one day, she told him, "This is when I die"  
"What was summer like for you?" She asked him with a smile "What's tomorrow without you?" He silently replied

She said,  
"I will always be with you. I'm the anchor of your sorrow. There's no end to what I'll do. Cause I love you, I love you to death"  
But the sorrow went too deep. The mountain fell too steep. And the wounds would never heal. Cause the pain of the loss was more than he could feel

He said,  
"I will always be with you. By the anchor of my sorrow. All I know, or ever knew, Is I love you, I love you to death"  
"What's tomorrow without you? Is this our last goodbye?"

[Guitar Solo

"I will always be with you. I'm the anchor of your sorrow. There's no end to what I'll do. Cause I love you" 

1: Love You To Death

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His eyes closed shut, and the last of the blood spilled out onto the gray stone beneath him. I screamed through tears. Would that even be a hope to alert anyone? I doubt it. But I need to get help, if I hurried; there might a reason to love life. If I hurried, there might be a reason….to live life. I _have _to hurry.

But Gabe's wings would make it harder to carry him…oh well; I've got to get him out of here. I tried pulling him with his arm, but he was too heavy for me. I tried everything, and all failed. I finally gave up, feeling that only a miracle could save me, and that my life was over. So knelt down beside my love, and laid my body over him, in hope it might preserve him or something. I didn't know what I was doing, I was still in shock. "Oh Gabe." I whispered to myself, brushing his pale cheek with my fingers, a certain longing in my eyes.

"This is all my fault." I could hear myself saying, as I cried quietly on his black cloak. The warmth was dissipating from his body, leaving me with a cold, dead lump of my one and only love. I screamed. My heart broke at that moment. Every hope that I had been clinging to: He's an angel, surely he wouldn't die, of course he could come back to life, and wouldn't he have a choice?

And with my last piercing the air scream, my heart ripped in half, and I felt myself die with him. I would never be whole again. Black spots began to enter my vision, and I tried to make out what was happening in front of me. A couple pairs of feet moved to the side of Gabe's body, and felt his pulse, I heard some whimpering and I watched as the black spots got worse.

Everything went black.

"Charlotte! Wake up!" My dream allowed some one's voice to break the shield, and the last bit of horror from my truly frightening dream played. I screamed. "Wake up you dimwit!" He yelled in my ear, I sat up, looking around violently. It obviously wasn't Riku, he would never call me that. Then I let my eyes rest upon the boy next to the bed I lay on. "Cole?" Fear returned to my already sweat stricken brow, and I jumped back. Roxas then walked up to Cole, and slapped his back, where two wings should have been, and he turned back into Zexion.

They laughed.

"Come on Zexion…" Roxas said between laughs, "you shouldn't scare her like that; you know how she is already." Axel and Demyx walked up next, and I tried to figure out where I was. Looks like The Organization found me before Riku. And through all the pain I was experiencing right now, I was somehow glad that he hadn't found me. Axel helped me off the bed. But his help didn't go far, once I reached the ground I fell, falling to my knees. Axel looked at me strange. "Can't you stay up fro three seconds?" He laughed, looking down at my broken body. I didn't respond. So Axel replaced his expression with another, sudden pity shadowing his usual energetic and rough disposition.

A single tear escaped my already red swollen eyes. The laughing stopped. Axel bent over next to me, placing one hand on my shoulder, and bringing me into a small hug. I didn't push him away, but he was not the one I would like to be hugging. I felt the hole get bigger with that thought of him, and my arms loosened. I let my body fall back onto the cold white marble floor, and closed my eyes, regardless the fact I was still awake. I didn't feel as if I was awake, I felt as though I was in a dream, a bad dream. I died again.

And I would _every _day, for the rest of my life.

Next I found myself on another bed, but not in the same area, in a whole different section of the castle. Not like I cared. They could throw my body over a cliff, and I wouldn't care. If I cared at all, I'd be happy, happy to finally die and be with Gabriel. But alas, I was in a blood red streaked room, lying on a black cotton comforter, with posters of different bands surrounding me on the walls. It wasn't hard to guess whose room this was. These guys didn't have hearts, which was good for me; I don't think I can handle any more love. The last of it is gone, and I am left with my shell of a body, somehow waiting for Gabriel to come back to life, and fill it again. But it would never come. He was gone forever.

Some one walked into the room, but I slowly closed my eyes, just out of my ripped heart's last wish.

"She looks horrible." A soft, soothing voice.

"I know, you should see her when she's awake." Axel answered.

"How did you find her?"

"We escaped from Cid's eyes before the others, and found her first, but then…" Axel didn't finish.

"What?" The gentle girl's voice sounded again, asking him with a certain kindness.

"Xero's probably not gonna make it."

My body went rigid, through all my pain, screaming, and crying, I hadn't been dreaming.My right hand twitched, aching to tough his silk cheek once more….it was all gone. The girl walked over to the bed, sitting down gracefully, and sliding over to where I lay, stroking my hair back. It was soothing some how. Another tear came out, rolling down my beaten face, my dull expression told of my anguish.

I could bear it all?

Would I break?

Was the pressure too much?

I cracked my eyes open, the red and blue puff beneath them rested, always being there, trying to block any unpredictable tears. I raised my hand, placing it to my salt watered cheek, closing my stinging eyes again as I did. This was where _he _had touched me. I smiled slightly at that peaceful thought. I wish I had gone with him. The stroking stopped, and I started to hum a tune Gabriel had often hummed around me back in our Earth days. He liked to play Final Fantasy as well, and he knew I liked Aerith's theme, Pure Heart. Of course, that was just me, remembering him so sweet, so easy to like…and love.

But I had never _love _loved him then, he had been much more of a kind brother. It hurt to think about him, but since the wound never healed, I might as well think about him. Every inch of him, from his naturally bleach blond hair, to his usually Etnie covered feet, it brought a chuckle to my throat. That chuckle ripped another chunk out, and I stopped suddenly, alerting the girl beside me, and she started to comfort me again. I opened my eyes one more time, trying to see the girl sitting by my side. Namine. Thank goodness.

She only smiled lightly, now running her slender fingers along my bruised arm.

I felt it now, the damage I had taken while Cole was throwing me around. Bruises galore and I think I had a couple sprained parts, they hurt very badly. I hadn't spoken since my last scream, and my throat was as dry as Arizona. Namine noticed my ache, and got up form the bed. "Come on, I'll help you to Vexen." She said gently, every word sounding as soft as fleece and as every syllable coated thoroughly in reassurance. I nodded once, trying to find enough strength, but my body was weak, and I didn't get as far as off the bed, I couldn't even move my legs. My heart really had died, and the pain I was going through right now, confirmed it correct.

Namine only looked over at me with the largest amount of pity and love, and knelt down next to the bed, coming to eye level with me. "I'll go get Axel." She said very quietly, turning away fluidly to go get him. I didn't refuse, my entire being couldn't care less, I wouldn't care if they shoved a needle into my throat, but you've already heard that. You've heard it all, but I still don't think you know the pain I'm going though right now…it's excruciating.

Axel hurriedly ran in, scanning over my ragged appearance on his bed, and rested his finally gentle gaze upon my tear wetted face. My dead expression could not ease the soul. I closed my eyes as he walked up to the bed, and next felt his arms glide underneath of me, picking me up. I did not go through the trouble of hanging on to him, I only fell limp in his arms, and I heard him make a portal. My mind spun with such dizziness, and darkness clouded my vision as he stepped through the portal, and my mind swam.

Next I heard a grunt of disapproval from the older member.

"Portal? Axel, you should know better, not only is she hurt, she's sick from broken heart syndrome. That will not help her mind to continue to keep working." He said, directing Axel to an empty bed beside another, which was occupied by some unknown lump of a body. My heart broke again, and I tired to reach over to the bed next to me. With some strength I had not had before I reached across –before anyone could stop me – and tore the white sheet off, to see what was underneath.

And I as soon as I did, I felt two things: One, regret, two, a feeling, I had known that I would see him under that sheet. And his cold, lifeless body only struck at my soul again, just before Axel could pull me back. My usual lump in my throat rose unrepentantly, but no tears came, I was all out. So I did something else. I screamed. It scraped my throat to its last string of flesh, but I needed some way to get out this unexpressed feeling out. Or it would claw at behind its prison of ribs, and attack at some undiscovered moment.

Next thing I knew, I felt Axel beside me, trying to do something through my screams of nothingness. I _was _nothingness now. So he found that he that tune, that hum, and desperately tried to mend my broken soul. I stopped screaming.

"Get Demyx! Tell him I've got a good job for him!" Axel ordered Namine, taking a second to stop humming. Then he went straight back to doing it, the blond girl running away with a task at hand, almost silently calling out Demyx's name, or number nine. I tried to turn my head to look over at Gabe once more, but Axel stopped me, by suddenly putting his hand to my shoulder. I used some more of my strength, to touch Axel hand on my shoulder, basically telling him I'd be fine. And I carried on. When my eyes finally laid on Gabe's white, peacefully still body, I noticed the large hole in his middle, just like mine. But his scar had been form that Shadow Ball Cole had thrown.

He had them in his chest, right where his heart should be, but my heart had died along with him, leaving my own gaping hole to be hurt from. Demyx came rushing into the room then, carrying his Sitar, with an anxious look plastered to his usually sunny and playful face. It made the world seem out of place. Axel quickly told him the tune, as I continued to stare over at Gabe's life deprived body.

Demyx started to play the song gently, lulling me to an unknown place, a place of nightmares. Sleep.

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	2. Tears

I was thinking about namign this chapter after another song, but I don't know if I should, thought it'd be too clique. The song I _was _going to pick, was Relient K's 'I Need You' that song basically is what this whole story is about, but, I guess I won't.

Depressing. Nothing more. I'm not gonna update so soon this time, I'll need plenty of reviews to keep me going. So review, or I won't update in like, two weeks….yes people, that is a threat, get used to it.

2: Tears

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There he was, seemed like an eternity away from me, shadow surrounding his being. It made my internal self leap. I bolted off to him, happiness filling my body….but something wasn't right, I couldn't feel my heart return, it was still gone. This wasn't real. What did I care? He was feet away from me now, meaning I could _actually _touch him. So I jumped forward. Just as I did, he decided to turn to me; I waited anxiously, awaiting his lovely face. But it never came. In its place, was Cole's evil expression, threatening to kill me with its coldness.

I stepped back, shock and sadness jumbling up together, I fell to the floor. As I did, some one caught me, holding me up by the shoulders; I looked up into their eyes, a new hope plastering my face. I stared into aquamarine eyes, white hair sliding down to meet them. My half smile disintegrated, and Riku helped me to my feet. He stared into my eyes, Cole suddenly disappearing behind him. I didn't believe it, the clingy boyfriend followed me here too, but, he wasn't so bad was he? No, not too bad. But he was a friend, not what I wanted. I wanted Gabriel.

It was hard, looking into his expectant eyes, and wondering what in the world he could be thinking as he asked me a question I was not listening to. I only heard the last part. "-hurt?" That's an easy guess. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered, this was a dream, merely a bad dream. So I ran. Some where. Nowhere. Anywhere. And scenery began to pop up, and I found myself in the Bailey, having a flash back of what had happened, but it wasn't right, I was high above me and Gabe on the ground.

And then it struck me like a rock. I was seeing this form Cole's point of view. The event unraveled before my eyes, and I wanted to scream. So I did. And that's what woke me up for good.

"Charlotte! Wake up!" Axel yelled through my screams, shaking me by the shoulders. I stopped. Everyone had looked up at my sudden screams, including Demyx, who rushed over to my side. "Are you okay?" He demanded, sitting next to me on the bed, just as Axel backed away.

I was used to this question, but it sounded much more new coming from Demyx. It was good.

"I'm….not okay."

Demyx nodded, handing me something black. "Here, I'm sure you feel really crappy right now, why don't you go take a shower? Then we can get you a nice cozy room instead of this sterilized, super white –whiter than the walls outside- boring, deathly cold, and uncomforting room." He said with a smile, he had me hooked. "Kay…" I accepted the black item from his hands, and followed him to a private shower room.

"Here you go, make sure to turn it up real hot, just to get those muscles unknotted." He said, gesturing with his hand on which way to turn it to hot. I nodded, puzzled by his pleasant smile. He left then, locking and closing the door, so I did as told, flipped the knob to hot. I threw the black object on the floor, looking to the white towel to my left next to the shower. Stripped, and stepped in. Demyx had been right, my knots disappeared, but my hole remained, no hot water could heal it. But it had done some good for me, and I got nice and clean. There was some complementary shampoo to my right, and I squeezed it onto my head. Scrubbing it around, thinking of something else. Well, he was more than something. But I shouldn't burden my rescuers any more than I already had with my stench.

When I got out, I dried off, and reached for the black item. I unfolded it, and out slipped a note; I grabbed it and scanned over it quickly.

Charlotte,

This is Larxene's shampoo, but I'll pay for any sadistic ideas she might have in mind to repay me for the inconvenience. As for the dress…..I found that in Axel's room…kidding! Namine gave it to me for you. Hope you like black.

Demyx.

I tried to smile, but it wouldn't come, so I slipped the dress and undergarments on. If anything was Gothic like, it was this dress. Black ribbons and lace tried it together, and the bottom had two layers of black and gray silk. It was truly beautiful. But an extra ribbon that came out surprised me, not knowing what it was for; I tied it around my hair, putting it into a pony-tail. I opened the door, back into the rehab room, where Demyx was waiting with Namine. Demyx smiled extra large at my appearance. "It looks great on you!" He cried, pulling me into a hug.

If my heart hadn't been broken, I'm sure that would have brought a smile to my face. But sadly, my lips remained unmoved. Namine smiled also, taking my hand in hers, and they led me to a new chamber room.

On the way there, we could hear yells echoing from Xemnas's office, I tried my best to not recognize the voice, but failed miserably. It was Cole. So action really was happening outside my little shell. I was glad it had nothing to do with me. Then my name was thrown across the room, making my brain freeze. "I know you have that girl here! You know, Riku and all his little buddies are searching everywhere for her." Cole said, making his being here noticeable.

I pulled Demyx and Namine along, not wishing to listen anymore to their conversation. But something told me Cole was here more than to scold Xemnas about me…there was something else he wanted…his aura was sickening. Wait, his aura. What was an aura? A sense, like an atmosphere right? I had never had this feeling before.

Then we suddenly stopped, shaking me out of my daze. On the door was a large WR nailed down carefully, in almost a blue iron. I stared at it for a while, until Demyx opened the door fully. Inside, it looked as if they had done some renovation, there was a pile a white comforters on the floor, and they had been replaced with black ones, anything to make it look different than it had been previously, had been done. "I'm sorry it's kinda messy..." Demyx apologized, but I shook it off. There was something about this room, it made me feel better. So, I walked over to what led me the most….the white blankets. No one stopped me.

I sat in them, drinking in their wonderful scent and softness. But something caught my eye, out of all their white fabric, one, single black feather poked out through the folds, then it came to me. That's why I liked them so much. Without another word, I laid my head down on the blankets, and closed my eyes, my wet hair feeling nice against the cool cloth. And as I drifted off into another sleep, I heard some more words uttered.

"She's so peaceful when she sleeps." Namine said thoughtfully, most likely bringing her hands together in front of herself.

"Yeah…." Demyx said, though shook himself out of something, and then continued. "I mean, I-I'd better get a guard out here, just inc case Cole gets any ideas! Or-…or, if she starts to scream again…oh man, I hope she sleeps well. I'll get Marluxia out here." And I dozed of, into a numb sleep, awaiting the horrible happenings beyond the real world.

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The sound of fighting broke my so far, sort of freaky dream, and I pried my eyes open. Marluxia was fighting off something, though my blurred vision was doing me no help to see who it was. I tried to listen in. "Let her go!" The mystery guy yelled, trying to break through Marluxia's scythe, which was held to hold the attacker in place. I had recovered some strength, I shouldn't let Marluxia fight totally for me, I'd better help. So, I called my keyblade, it's whiteness in definite contrast to my black outfit, I stuffed the black feather in my silk pocket.

When Marluxia saw me, prepared to fight, he nodded, letting the assaulter break through his hold. Then he stepped more into my room, keyblade at the ready. Oh no. He had a keyblade.

It was, without a doubt, Riku, only he would have come for me. Sora and Tami would have figured I was safe, and be like "just leave her alone, I'm sure she and Gabriel ran off to get married or something." They hadn't known I had found Gabriel, but they would just assume. Riku stared at me, my appearance was so different than last. Now, my eyes were red and puffy for good, my cheek strained with tears, I wore an old fashioned lace and ribbon dress, and I had my hair tied back, showing my permanent dull expression. I wasn't the same.

"Charlotte…?" He didn't' know what to say. I put my hand out to Marluxia to stop attacking so I could explain this, trying to find some more strength. "Riku…I'm safe." I said, my lips hardly moving at all. I felt dead as well as looked it. "What did they do to you?" Riku asked, dumbfounded. My eyes said nothing, my body language said nothing, my hearts aid nothing, I _was _nothing. So, there I was, it would only be a waste of breath to explain it to him. But I did.

"Life doesn't mean anything to me anymore. Taking me away won't change anything. I'm sorry."

Riku lowered his keyblade, not even hesitating to throw his hands up in surrender. "Do what you want with me." He said, directing his gaze to the floor. "Have you come alone?" Marluxia asked, not too sure if there were others around the castle. He nodded lightly, glancing up at me his sadness covering his eyes. "I'll miss you Charlotte." He said quietly as Marluxia tied his wrists. Number eleven laughed, "Riku, she'll be able to see you whenever she desires, you're going to the dungeon."

He dragged him away, the surprised Riku going all too willingly. Great, I would be required to see Riku too, maybe he could actually talk to me though…or I could just grab Demyx. Demyx was so much easier to be around, his bright cheery jokes, his smile, his music, and I didn't have to be enthusiastic about everything to be around him, because he didn't have a heart. He was a great little brother it seemed, though he was probably at least a year or two older than me. I sighed, walking back to the white sheet. I tossed the black ones off, replacing them with Gabe's white comforters, still clinging to his scent. I put his two feathers in the bed-side table drawer, and flicked the lights off.

Now I was all alone. In my cave of a room. Pitch dark, with no one to disturb me…yet. What If they let Riku loose? That couldn't be good…but they'd never do it. After a while, I found myself curled into the tightest ball I could form myself into, shaking. I scrunched my eyes closed. I lay on the bed, a mere ball, shaking with fear of the future. It was so vast, an unknown world, yet to ruin my already crushed life. I wouldn't mind though, if Gabe were still alive, just not near me, if I just had the comfort of knowing that he was still…breathing.

I heard a numbed whooshing sound, but I didn't turn to look, my ears were closed off by the sheets anyways, I couldn't be sure if I was dreaming or not. But soon, a very real touch came to my back; I stood still, the touch not coming as a surprise to me, though I knew I wasn't dreaming now. I let my eyes slide open, the red swollen puffs under them, still there, and making them hurt as I rose the lids. Some one was stroking my back now, their firm hold was definitely male, I just had to figure out who it was.

They sat behind me, sitting cross-legged, hardly making the bed move under his weight as he sat. I didn't mind it, his massage was doing its job, and it made me feel slightly better. He began to hum my favorite tune, and I closed my eyes gently again. I recognized the throat voice. It made my internal human being want to smile, though my lips would never make it to that kind of height again, even if Gabriel came back to life…I wouldn't be able to believe it.

"Marluxia told me that Riku attacked you guys while you were sleeping." Demyx said softly, each word soothing me into a numb trance. "Yeah. He did. And now he's in the dungeon." I said plainly, keeping my tight hold around my balled up body. I could feel the gray silk on my nose; my knees were touching my forehead. "Oh? So he is. I guess you and me'll have to visit him sometime eh?" He asked, stopping the rub on my back. I nodded hesitantly.

"Poor dude, his one and second only love, lost to major heart break syndrome."

Yes, second, after Kairi, who he lost…wait, he could still go after her? Sora pushed her away. Oh well, not my place to worry about these things, or my condition. I felt Demyx get up behind me.

"You and me'll go down and see him tomorrow, as for now, gather up all the sleep you can." He said, stepped over to the door. My next words stopped him. "What if I have a nightmare?" That was no question as I spoke it, but I felt I wanted to tell him about the recent nightmare's I had been having. Demyx gave me a look of pity. "Ids there anything I can do to stop it?" He asked, thoroughly worried. I didn't want him to get too worried, or he'd just be another remake of the unforgettable Riku. "No. Goodnight Demyx."

His answer was broken. "Good night."

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Another horribly sad chapter, if you think this is boring, I'm not sorry. Seriously, she's going through pain and suffering, do you really think that it's gonna be all action? At least I put in a little fighting. If your gonna read this, you might as well review.


	3. Prisoner

3: Prisoner.

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I flattened my black dress out, tying my hair back once more, it was time to wake up, and get another painful day started. My chest ached as I stepped out of my chamber room, closing the door softly behind me. Some one caught me, not off guard, I was always on guard now. He was carrying a small skeleton key, and a tray of food. "Hey, I'm going down to see Riku, you gonna come?" Marluxia asked, now tossing the key up and down and catching it again. I shook my head mechanically, walking off in the other direction, but something caught a ribbon of my dress. I stopped. "No. Come on. I think it'd be best if you saw him," Marluxia said, still balancing the tray with his other hand.

My face's expression hadn't changed from before, but I followed Marluxia downstairs, a certain noise echoing in its depths. I didn't like it. When we neared Riku, I could make out the sound perfectly, and it made my body go stiff. Marluxia stopped along with me, just as we were several cells away from Riku's; we were now in his sight. In was light down here, besides the fact that it was indeed a dungeon, all the walls were white. I fell to my knees. Next I felt Marluxia's hand on my shoulder, and then it grazed away, now walking over to Riku.

I knelt there, feeling the pressure of Riku's sorrow, now laid upon my shoulders. I started to cry. Could my frail body take the never ending tears? I didn't think it could. I could feel Riku's soft gaze on me. He walked up to his cell bars. "Charlotte. I'm sorry. Please stop crying." He begged, watching me on the floor. I was a still as a statue. Marluxia then slid the tray under the door, not paying attention to me, all of the Organization members were used to me by now. But crying was a red alert, he'd probably have to carry me away. "I'm sorry Charlotte." Marluxia began apologizing, walking up to me.

Riku's eyes went from me to the pink haired gardener. "Charlotte, can we talk?" Riku asked wearily. I looked up, not bothering to wipe the tears away from my stinging red swollen puffs under my eyes. I looked at Marluxia, who nodded, and walked away. "You know the way out." He called as he disappeared up the stairs. I watched him leave, the feeling of Riku's eyes still lingering over me.

"Charlotte….?"

I got half way up from my kneeling position, to crawl over to his cell which was a little ways ahead of me. A long black ribbon dragged along beside me, it was the one Marluxia had pulled earlier. Riku watched me with pity and sadness glazing his icy blue eyes. "Don't let my broken heart rip yours out too." I said softly, reaching my destination. I came to a sit on my knees at the door, my eyes following Riku's body to the door to sit across from me.

"I'm sorry Riku," I said in monotone.

Riku was bewildered, his stare going right through my dead face. "What?" He asked, seriously shocked at my new emotions. My tear reddened face looked up at him, and he waited, coming up closer to the bars. "I'm sorry I got you into this. If I had never come into your life…" Riku stopped me, yelling this time. "Don't say that! If you hadn't come! I wouldn't be here right now. I'd be back at the castle, doing something totally out of whack. Don't you ever say something like that!"

"Well, it looks like the feelings have been exchanged. Listen Riku, I'm not from your world. I…I don't belong here. I was born on Earth." The truth was spilling out, but Riku would never understand. "So? It's another planet. I just haven't been there before," he answered, saying just what I had expected him to say. I sighed; I would have to explain the hard way. "Riku, you're not real in my world." I let it sink in, his face contorted. I swallowed, ready to continue, but a different emotion washed over me. The look on Riku's face was the old Riku, the one I knew from the game, before he met me, I liked it, a lot. "You're a fictional character." He took this well, but gave me a response that surprised me.

"That means, when you entered my world, you turned into a fictional character too." He smiled halfheartedly. My jaw dropped a bit, and the realization that this was true had begun to come in. "So…I don't exist on Earth anymore…..but what about Cole? When he disappeared, everyone remembered him." It could have been another Cole.

Riku watched my face carefully, as if he was worried if he had hurt my feelings. But I jumped up. "That's good. That's means no one has to suffer over me." My lips were pressed into a loose line, and I turned away as Riku followed my gaze. Some one had come in the door while we were talking. And the sight made my heart burst into shreds. "What are you doing?! You know how fragile her heart is right now!" Riku exclaimed, as my eyes froze on the limp body in Vexen's arms. I fell to the floor, sobs escaping my throat, and bloodying my mouth, tears slid down my face.

I coughed up blood, and it dripped onto the white floor, Vexen walked slowly up to me, setting the cold body of Gabriel down. "I did all I could….but there's still some hope…." I looked up, my eyes glazed over lightly with hope. "He still has the urge to live, he's trying to hang on….he might make it if we give him enough hope out in this world. You know what to do." As soon as the words escaped his mouth, I shook Gabe slightly.

"Wake up Gabe!" I yelled, crying into his blood dampened cloak.

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**Gabriel's POV**

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My whitened knuckles cramped, the tension they were under was gruesome, and I held on for dear love.

Below me was the tangles of death, waiting to pull me in, taking me to judgment day, but it was God's choice whether or not I was ready to die. Did he want me to live on? Oh boy, I wish he'd make up his mind soon, my fingers are blistering. Man! Listening to myself, I'm such a complainer! After all the things God's done for me? I'm complaining, I've just got to hold on until He makes his decision.

Whenever that was.

Everything was dark, except for the light of heaven above me, and the duller light coming from The World That Never Was, to the left of me, I clung tightly to the ledge. "I don't deserve to live!" I yelled, scrunching my eyes closed, screaming out every true word as clearly as possible through the pain I was in. Holding all my weight, wings attached, and a hole in my chest, from where Cole had hit me, and were my heart had been stolen.

"But please! Save Charlotte!" I screamed out with my last gasp of breath. The rest of my strength would be for clinging onto this slippery ledge. It was the ledge of life and death, and I was more on the death side than any other side. Above me, was eternal life, next to me, was mortal life, and below me, was eternal death.

The only one I deserved was eternal death, and it sounded horrible. Even worse than what they tell you. I could hear screaming, and gnashing of teeth, terrified voices flung across the huge, dark hall I was in, shrieking for me to come and save them. But it was too late, God had sent them there, regardless the fact he loved them more than anything, more than you know that love is. He made love. So, I waited, feeling, hearing, Charlotte's cries of pain next to me, and the cries of pain below me, they sounded nearly the same. As if she was dying too.

But I heard others beside hers, and soon recognized them to be Vexen and Riku, I listened in. "So he might live?" That was Riku, and he sounded hopeful, like he had seen Charlotte in enough pain already, and wanted me to come back and make it stop for good. "It depends, it's all up to him. As long as he has the will to live, I don't see why not." I felt like screaming at Vexen's answer to Riku, so I did, maybe they'd actually hear me. But it didn't matter if they did, or didn't, I just had to get it out.

"No! It's God's choice! He'd be the only reason that I would be alive! God has the right to throw me in hell! It's his choice if he wants to bring me back or not! Not mine!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, feeling my grip go a bit limp after getting that out, it had weakened my strength. But then I felt a soft touch on my hands, helped me up a bit.

"Hold on Gabriel, don't give up just yet." A beautiful voice boomed into the hall, it woke me from me drowsy illusions. "Okay." I answered quietly, trying to get a better hold. I felt my arms start to ache. "I'll go through any pain I have to! I know your son went through so much more! If aching arms is all it is, bring it on!" I yelled, flexing my shoulders muscles by starting to do pull-ups with the ledge. I could feel the gravity of it all now, and the hell below me was pulling me downwards, but I kept on pulling, no way was I giving up now, God had granted me hope. Hope of a future somewhere, even if it were hell.

I didn't care, I just wanted Charlotte to be safe, and for her heart to be whole again.

"Please, save Charlotte!" I screamed one last time, just as a pulled myself again. When my eyes came to see what was above, on the platform between Heaven and Hell, I almost fell at the horrible sight.

There, in the dark shadowed corner, was a girl, curled up in a ball, light enclosed her, it made me wonder. So I started to climb, trying to reach that girl on the cliff, trying to see who she was, and why she was here, it piqued my interest quite nicely, but there was something else that caught my attention too. Her stillness, her aura. It gave me this….. sense, that there was something all wrong about her. When I reached her, I put my hand on her shoulder, allowing her to unravel. My arms burned with an unknown pain, but I pressed on, feeling the muscles go numb.

The girl didn't move, it was like she was dead, which she probably was, being down here and all. I shook her harder, but she wasn't breathing. So I turned her over, at maybe I could identify her. I flipped her delicate head around, and got a glimpse of her face. But I didn't like what I saw, and almost fell back off of the steep cliff we were on. It was Charlotte. Was she dead? No. I could hear her voice coming from the mortal world right now.

And then it hit me.

This was her heart.

The light aura around the limp body was fading slowly, and her heart was getting cold….it was dying. This was all my fault! If I hadn't died, if she had never fallen in love with me….she would be alive, in her earthly home, doing laundry with her mother right now. Probably talking about homework, or a new guy at school. How could I preserve this heart? How could I save her? I would have to get this heart to the mortal world, and fast, before the light went out…..talk about a mission, and it was such a climb away. Carrying two bodies! I could do this, I had to make the climb back up to the mortal worlds, if it kills me, it's all for Charlotte!

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I am not sorry for saying anything about God. I am a Christian, and I'm proud of it, so, deal with it.


	4. I Need You

Ha ha, I'd also like to inform you all, that I've already written seven chapters of this story, I'm just being mean and leaivng you hanging. MUAHAHA!

To this chapter, I dedicate this song:

_**Relient K **__"I Need You." _

_I've dug up miles and miles of sand. Searching for something I can't see. And I've just got bruised and battered hands. And a brand new void inside of me. Complete with walls I did create. From all the earth that I've displaced. A mess that I have made from what. I've just let pile and pile up. I have not been abandoned, no I have not been. Deserted and I have not been forgotten_

_Chorus  
I need you  
I need you here  
I need you now  
I need security somehow  
I need you  
Like you would not believe  
You're the only thing I want  
Cause you're everything I need _

Explore the cave that is my chest. A torch reveals there's nothing left. Your whispers echo off the walls. And you can hear my distant calls. The voice of who I used to be. Screaming out "someone, someone please. Please shine a light into the black. Wade through the depths and bring me back. I have not been abandoned, no I have not been. Deserted and I have not been forgotten

When my hopes seem to dangle. Somewhere just beyond my reach. You say you've heard my prayers. And read my words there on the beach  


_Chorusx2_

4: I Need You.

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Gabe's cold body lay perfectly still, until I felt my heart coming closer, then it started to….dare I say it, breathe. It started to move, up and down, the blood actually pumping through his veins. Vexen, bent down hastily to check his pulse, I dried my face with the corner of my dress. "He's got the blood flowing. Looks like he's found some new hope." Vexen said quite coldly, this way you could never read his face. I looked to him expectantly. "He may live yet."

I then dived back down to my love, gripping him tightly, feeling his warmth come back. I could feel Riku's smiling gaze on me then. But I couldn't smile, not at all; it was like my smile was still gone. Any emotion different than sadness…..was gone. Along with my heart. I couldn't feel anything else. Riku looked disappointed at my reaction to this.

"Aren't you happy he's going to live?" He asked, bewildered, a look of 'won't anything ever satisfy you?' donned on his face. My eyes then started to produce more tears, without my wanting them to. "I can't feel my heart. It's gone Riku."

Vexen got up and left, for some reason, I guess the doctor didn't find his presence necessary.

Once he was far out of hearing range, a high pitched ring went off, like an alarm, Riku reached into his back pocket. "Yeah?" He answered his phone. Obviously, he had found some way to keep that away from Marluxia, hiding it so if Sora or any of the others had needed to call him; he'd have his cell phone. "What?!" He yelled into the speaker, his face twisted. "He's….That's, vulgar. But he's coming here?! With all these members on post?! He'll die!" This message had caught my attention a bit, but I lay back down over Gabe's soft body, breathing along with him. My blood stained mouth was laid right on his chest, hearing his heart thump briskly. It made me _want _to smile.

"Nobodies? When is he coming?" Riku asked urgently, grasping the bars as if they were a life line. I listened to him, my eyes closed, my left ear still to Gabe's lungs. "Two days…..okay, I'll alert the others." Riku snapped the phone shut with a brief goodbye. His expression was solid when he turned to me. He swallowed once, and continued on. "Cole is planning to attack the Organization with an army of Nobodies."

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"Will you just shut up?!" Xaldin yelled at Demyx, who was curled up in his throne, whimpering. "When are they coming?" Saix asked Riku calmly, folding his arms across his chest, feet dangling from the tall white chair. Riku placed himself in a very humble seat, down below all the others. And I, sat, with my love laid over my lap, breathing, and in a sitting position as I laid him. I had found myself often talking to him, thinking that he could hear me, but I knew that was nonsense, and I only spoke words of encouragement. Hopefully, he couldn't hear what was going on now. "In two days. His army of Nobodies is far greater than any of yours." This did make me worry, but Saix didn't look fazed.

"Okay. We will prepare every one for his attack. Who gave you this information?" Xemnas said quietly, holding his head up with his fist. "Sora." Riku answered plainly, looking up at Xemnas with his icy blues, drilling through every mask without effort. Xemnas sat back. "And form whom did he gather this information?" Xemnas continued, hearing a distant snigger from a fooling around Luxord from his right. He was throwing cards at a snoozing Zexion, who had stayed up all night, doing research. "From Cid and the gang, who have been watching Cole's every move. See, Cole used to be on our side…until, the darkness got the better of him. He's only attacking here because _you _won't give him what he wants. Darkness." Riku explained, standing from his chair. Xemnas raised an eye brow. "Oh. So if I give him the darkness, he'll go away?" He challenged, making Riku sit down again.

"Please! Don't do that! You'll be putting all the worlds in danger, and make more work for us in the end. It will become a problem for you." Riku begged, waiting for the response eagerly. Xemnas scoffed, "perfect! I'll give him want he wants." He made a portal, and left. Leaving us all in shock.

Everyone was at edge, even Zexion had woken, the question was now, without a doubt. Who was against his plan and who wasn't?

"That's outrageous!" Zexion cried, blinking his eyes open more. "Why would we make more work for us in the end? It's a total waste of time!" He was on our side. "I don't know, I think Xemnas should just give the freakin' darkness to the kid, who cares if it causes other pain?" Larxene commented, I would kill her later. And soon, with that, a clash of words began to throw themselves at others, and the members two through thirteen began to quarrel. It was unlike anything I've ever seen, and the yells echoed through my mind forever. The words, their expressions, and the anger. The emotion.

An emotion, that seemed to awaken itself to me. I felt I could put on an act of utter anger and fury to some one right now, I wanted to scream. To bloody my throat once more, to rip it to shreds, till the blood gushed freely to my mouth. This yelling around me was too much, I couldn't take it. My frustration began to grow. Till I shot up, screaming to the top of my lungs, Gabe dropped silently to the floor.

"DEMYX!!!"

That was the only word that came to my mind at that moment, and it brought attention to me wherever I looked. As predicted, blood rose in my throat, and start to leak over the edges of my mouth, it's rust and metal taste becoming more familiar every time.

I blacked out.

…..

I was floating in black nothingness, this was no ordinary dream, it was an illusion different than any other I had ever experienced. I watched from afar, as I saw a giant battle break loose onto the white castle in the distance, many of my long time friends dying at the hand of Cole, the evil angel. I tried to scream, but my throat had been ripped clean inside of flesh, and it bled slowly, I could taste it's rusty metal-like flavor on my tongue. As I saw everyone die, Cole turned to give me one whole view of his wicked expression. I froze.

His eyes were a blood red, adding to the dark blue circles under his crimson irises. His skin had tanned, due to the darkness that almost always glided at his side, coating his exterior with hate and anger. His black hair now parted down the middle, and hanging at the sides of his pointed jaw. His wings were stained with dirt, making them look more abused than they should be, and his outfit was utterly predictable and surprising. He wore a long purple cape, that had it's hood draped over his shoulders, and an armor set, that was black like the night sky and reflected everything like a mirror, as it was shined to perfection. His appearance was baffling, and my legs screamed to run, but I couldn't feel those either. I suddenly wondered if they were broken, but looked down, to see Gabriel's still breathing body laying on them. This calmed me slightly, but then I remembered.

Cole would do anything to kill my clinging to life love, I had to get him out of here. But I also remembered how useless my attempts at getting him away from his bleeding state back when he had died along with my heart….I wouldn't be able to do it. I was too weak. But I had a keyblade, I could at least hold him off till some one came to my rescue. But who would? Cole was already charging at me, several of his Nobodies –the ones that were left- still fending off the members.

What about Sora? And Riku? And Tami? Wouldn't they come to help me?

I didn't have much of a choice now; Cole had just arrived, and was pumped by the smell of blood from my throat. How long had I been screaming? What had caused this tear of flesh? Cole came p to me, raising his arms to make a huge Shadow ball, the same kind that had killed my love, and I called my keyblade. I whispered my last dying words.

"I love you Gabriel."

And I blocked the Shadow ball as long as I could, holding my keyblade up in front of my face, my body a wall between Cole and the sleeping Gabriel. Then, I blacked out again, only this time, I was waking up in the real world, I felt my body rush back to reality.

-----------

"Charlotte! Wake up! We're not fighting anymore! You can come back to The World That Never Was!" Demyx called, shaking my lifeless body gently. He had pushed Gabriel's body away, and half the Organization stood around us –the caring half. I blinked my eyes open, shaking the sweat of my forehead, and trying to regain my stature -though I didn't have much of it. Demyx helped me to my feet, keeping his hands, in the right places, used to this routine to get me up from the ground.

Once I was up, I glanced around at the small crowd of members. And then back down at Gabriel. I wish I could have smiled at that moment, as I gazed down at Gabe's peaceful smile, I wish I could know what he was dreaming about.

I love you Gabriel.

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I clung tightly to the small ledges God offered me to climb up, taking a mini break that was necessary to my non-stop journey of the ragged wall. The lifeless body hanging over my shoulder was not breathing, therefore, causing me no problems. Perfectly still, only a small addition to my weight, her heart was extremely light, and filled with woe, and sadness, I could feel it illuminate off of it. It was sad. I could hear her voice coming in through my sleeping human ears in the mortal world, and all of those around her and me.

Then I heard her say something very quietly in my ear. "I love you Gabriel." She thought she was talking to herself, but just to hear it, kept me going, I now started again up the wall, and did not complain about the long way I still had.

But I wondered, if once I started to come up towards the light, if I would get my wings back, I still had them in the mortal world didn't I? Or had those been taken off?

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R&R if you wish to do so.


	5. Preparation

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the stores that I mention in this chapter, so get over it!

5: Preparation.

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It was a very unlikely situation that we would actually find out what was going to happen, what we were going to do. But I don't think it helped, I only felt more anxious. So I would clutch Gabriel in the darkness of his room, and listen to his steady heart beats, watching his peaceful face for any weird signs. I would often talk to him, but with no answer back, it felt weird. Everyone left me alone, tending to their own busy duties. They had released Riku, and after a hundred rejections from me, he left. He wanted me to go with him, of course, I wouldn't have that, I needed to stay with Gabriel. But Riku wanted me happy, and I could see that, so he gave me a wish of luck, and went on his way. Riku was sweet, just a worry wart.

The castle was filled with hectic jobs to do, and my closest Organization friends were doing them. I was left alone in my bedroom to wait, the battle sitting merely two days away now, everyone was busy. They had also been talking about using me as bait, but I doubted any of them would actually do it –because Demyx wouldn't allow it obviously. I didn't mind, anything to hurry up the pace, but that wasn't the only thing on my mind…..there were other….haunting thoughts. Like, why was Gabriel breathing? Hadn't he died? Was he going to come back to life? If so, why can't I feel my heart back?

Everything was jumbled up; I couldn't even remember what it felt like to be happy.

Or to love.

So, as a result to my unaffected mood, Demyx ordered for me to be taken to Namine where I was to, as they may say it, "have fun" and go shopping at the Twilight Town mall. As I think, you may be thinking this is going to be _very _boring, but go ahead and think what you want; its how I feel at the moment. This is going to be, so very excruciatingly boring. I gripped the side of the car with force as Namine drove along carefully, driving at the same exact speed labeled. She was smiling pleasantly, playing her favorite Nocturne in the CD player. "So, what's your favorite kind of music?" she asked, turning to me slightly. I thought for a moment, it had been a while since I had listened to music, but it used to bring me happiness. Gabe and I had always listened to something like Skillet. So, I answered Metal. His Etnies and black and blue appearance had always screamed skater, but Gabe wasn't like that, he did have a skate board, and he was good at riding it –very good, he'd been in some competitions before- but he didn't have the skater slang or the accent.

I missed him a lot.

We finally sped into the familiar parking lot, where I rolled my window up and sank into the back of the seat, I was reluctant. The last time I had been here it had been with Tami, and we had met Axel, Demyx and Roxas…..but before that, Gabriel had been with them, or Xero. I still didn't think Xero was an appropriate name. Namine got out of the car first, walking around to my side of the car. "Are you coming?" She asked with another sweet smile, as if pushing away the idea that I couldn't smile back. I nodded, slowly climbing out of the black Mercedes. Namine took my hand in hers when I reached her side, holding them down next to her light blue jeans. That's right, wearing her little white dress to the mall was too overused, she had had to buy a new outfit to go out with me to the mall. And it was just as cute on her.

It was a pair of light blue jeans that were hip hugging, a long white tank top. It looked as if she had stuck her white dress on over a pair of Capri's. As for me, I stayed in another one of the lacey black dresses, content with its certain gloominess. My black ribbon held up my fine black hair, some of it still managing to escape and fall down over my ears.

It was a cloudy day in Twilight Town, matching my undying mood, I liked it that way. I could here whispers as we passed, not about us, but about something else. All the geeks were talking about it in Gamestop, all of the nerds in fye, and all of the cute children running into Toys R us. I wondered what it was, what was the problem? I had to find out. Though my constant dead mood attracted many pairs of eyes as I walked along with Namine at my side, I didn't care. I never cared.

As we entered Gamestop, I really got a listen in from a couple tall gamers looking at the XBOX controllers in the back while Namine was getting help –from a couple boys- on how to play Guitar Hero II. I stood next to them, pretending to be interested in the game Eternal Sonata. "I mean, this guys wings were huge! And they were real!" The one said, his blond hair curly, and a hat had it in place. "Dude! When'd that happen?" the other asked, his voice deeper, older than the other.

"A while ago, but the girl he touched was terrified, and she apologized over and over again. But the weirdest thing was…was that in the morning when he woke up, he found her outside, and kissed her forehead, then walked away. She's been marked for life." He said, shaking his head. I flipped my vision back down to the game case as the blond one caught my stare, and asked me a question. "Need some help?" He seemed interested in my dress, as it was most unusual. "No, I'm fine." I answered quietly, glancing over at Namine for a second.

The boy followed my gaze. "Have you heard about the anti angel? Do you know where he is?" He asked me, as the other guy walked away, stepping behind the counter. I swallowed a bit, I didn't even know that, but next words made my dark swollen eyes well up. "He's dead."

The blond stood back at these dark words, surprised. But he went quiet, enough information for him. Then I grabbed Namine's wrist, and pulled her out of the now busy store. The girl I pulled along was coming willingly, watching as I hid my face from her. Then I stopped, falling to my knees, and putting my hands over my face, trying to stop the tears. The pain was unbearable. I started to bleed. My whole outlook went numb, and everyone's movements seemed slow-motion. But I noticed as a boy unknown to me walked up to my face, and stopped. Blood started to drip from my mouth; I did nothing to stop it, as my heart was starting to be ripped out again.

Namine was speaking to the boy, some words, words that were blocked out to my plugged ears. I was trembling violently. "Come on, I'll take you home." He said soothingly in my ear, making my entire body go still. He slid his arms underneath of me, and picked me up, everyone in the mall's eyes on us. I had my eyes closed. Tears streamed down my face, the purple puffs under my eyes burning like fire. My complexion was pale, like all blood had been drained, but the blood still flowed freely from my mouth, running down my chin and into my dress below. The boy hummed a silent tune, a beautiful tune, as if unaware of all the amazed stares he was getting. And I lay, curled up in his arms, bleeding and crying, Namine walking readily at his side.

I blacked out.

But when I woke up again, we were no where near the castle, I was still in the car, my head resting on the boy's lap. Namine must have insisted on driving, because I could hear her soft sweet voice sounding from the front seat. The boy holding me was smiling slightly, caressing my hair back, and playing with the ribbon. My eyes slid open with effort. "Hello sleepy head." The boy smiled with a tone that made it seem like I had just fell asleep instead of bled from my mouth and blacked out at a mall in front of hundreds of people.

I took a moment to look into his face, actually a bit curious about him. But my face did not change in its dead look as I scanned his expression, his smile not fading from its place. He had dark brown hair that flew everywhere, it was long and uneven, and his eyes were heart stopping as they were a beautiful green. I was a bit confused, but remember I don't have a heart to stop, so I wasn't worried. I would always love Gabriel more than anyone else.

"Who are you?" I squeaked, intertwining my fingers at the base of my stomach. I was lying on my back, my head placed on his long legs in the back seat. He only gave me a better smile, not anything like the smile I once knew from Gabriel, it was totally different, like he was happy to see me, happy to find me at last…..it was a foreign smile. Not that Gabriel's smiles weren't bright and happy to see me, just not the same, I enjoyed Gabe's more, they were more…rare.

"It's me, Lucifer." It took me a little while to remember, but when I did, I was shocked, far beyond anything I had felt in a while….last time was when Gabriel's body had started to breathe again. And this was big. "Lucifer?" I asked, my dull face not even twitching. He nodded, closing his eyes in delight. "How'd you find me? And how'd you get inside the game?" I almost clasped my hand over my mouth at saying that, but decided against it, I didn't care if Namine knew. She probably did already.

He was an old buddy back from high school in Earth days. "Hey! I'm glad you at least remember me!" He smiled a bit more, just as the car stopped. I didn't even look up to see where we were. "Finding you was hard, but when I did, I recognized you immediately, even under all of your blood and tears…..what happened?" His face went blank, revealing nothing. I looked at the other side of the car, hearing Namine get out of the car quietly. "Gabriel died." I said numbly, pursing my already dry blooded lips. It tasted gross, the blood, but I was used to it.

"Listen….I have a slight problem." He said, changing the subject as to try to heal me of the past conversation. I turned back to him; my eyes glazed with tears from the last words I had uttered. Namine had left us, leaving into the castle to perhaps warn the others of Lucifer's arrival. "When I entered this Kingdom Hearts world...something happened to me, and I blacked out for a long period of time. And when I woke up, I wasn't myself anymore." I looked at him strangely, a weird déjà vu dawning on me. "What do you mean?" I asked, sitting up and wiping the tears from my eyes.

Namine was back, and she was several feet away from the car now, followed by a couple friendly members. I rushed Lucifer to answer before they got here. Lucifer gazed unknowingly out the window for a second, just before answering, and then slid back to me, his face full of pain and discomfort.

"I'm half demon."

With all the mangas and stories nowadays, I'd usually choose not to believe this, but it was Lucifer, a guy who hated to lie, and his true face was sad, waiting for me to reject him. He flinched back, pressing himself up against the door. But the door was unlocked, and opened at his forced weight on the lever. He fell out, his head hitting the pavement hard, he rubbed it a bit before I leaned out, answering quietly.

"You're such a goofball."

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The Megalamoose, go ahead and kill me for this, but I love Lucifer now, so I'm not getting rid of him, HA HA! I think you'll forgive me when you hear that he was exaggerating about the demon part….he's not like Inuyasha or anything.


	6. Demon

6: Demon

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I couldn't smile at his lump of a body shape, but my eye brows creased at his concern. I was worried.

"You think I won't love you anymore?" I asked, his pain stricken face telling everything. Namine, Axel, Demyx, and Roxas rounded the car, seeing Lucifer on the ground feet in the air, and me leaning out of the car, grimacing at his sudden sorrow. Axel smirked, reaching a hand out to the disoriented figure that was Lucifer. He accepted it, pulling himself up, glancing briefly over at me. Only then, did I remember Gabriel's sleeping body. I bolted out of the car, all other things not important to me at the moment. But I felt Lucifer at my heels, and that made me feel better. "Where are you going?!" He yelled in confusion as I ran into the white castle. He followed me wordlessly through the white hallways, until we reached my door. Without an answer, I ripped the door open, running to the limp breathing shape on the bed.

Lucifer walked in more quietly unsure of the unknown person I now held tightly. He did not bother to turn the lights on, that would not help to see Gabe's body in my arms, he only down next to me, placing one hand lightly on Gabriel's arm. His brow contorted itself, and he slowly raised his head to look at me through the shadow of the room. "So, you don't care that……I'm not normal anymore?" He asked, having not seen something yet.

I said nothing, only with every bit of my strength, turned Gabriel over till his back was facing us. Lucifer gaped at what he saw.

Wings.

They had not died with his body, of course not, he was the anti angel. "But it's kind of weird, all of my friends are mutant, most of them anyways, like for instance, my love, Gabriel." I said, gazing off into the distant dark corner. The stained corner. It was marked corner, where Gabriel had been sick, his blood still laid on that wall, and I ever so often looked over there. "Gabriel….he's a…..an angel." Lucifer tried to spit out, his hands frozen half way down to touch the feathery wings fastened to the sleeping back of the anti angel Xero.

I almost wondered if he could hear us now.

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**Gabriel's POV**

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I laughed to myself as I carried us up the wall of death, listening to the familiar voice of Lucifer, Charlotte's and my old class mate above me. "Yeah, I am! What are you?" I was just joking when I said this, but when Lucifer spoke again, I stopped climbing.

"So you don't care that I'm half demon?"

Shocking. Lucifer, has changed that much? Wow, it's like we're all twisted now, even Lucifer. "Nope. What kind are you?" Charlotte asked, trying to go deeper into details on her half mutant friend. The demon boy hesitated, like it might change the fact she already told him it didn't matter. He swallowed hard. I continued up the wall, going quicker to make up from lost time. "Whenever I feel human emotions…I…" He didn't finish, but this gave me some time to think about this. I could almost imagine Charlotte now, turning to look at Lucifer straight in the eyes. But the worst part was, I couldn't picture her with a smile on her face, it was like that Charlotte had been permanently erased. I started to really climb that wall, fast, as fast as my human body would carry me, anything to get that smile back on Charlotte's face.

"I turn into another person." Lucifer finally finished, and if Charlotte could laugh, I'm sure she would have. In front of me, I could see at least a three day climb, would I have enough strength, could I do it? Yeah. I had God on my side. The slate was cold and wet, but I kept on going, waiting for Charlotte or Lucifer to speak. "Who do you turn into?" Char finally went on, coming to sit back next to me and Lucifer.

He didn't answer that one, because Demyx barged in. "Hey! Cole is here!" He announced, a hug grin probably placed on his face.

I could hear the creak of the bed as Lucifer stood, probably eager to get out of the room and the nasty conversation. I sighed a bit, and continued the climb, trying to push the other thoughts away, including the one that I had just heard.

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"Why in the world is Cole here?" Lucifer asked, obviously not filled in about the attack yet. I shivered. Suddenly, Gabe's body lunged at the name, his chest giving a jolt upward, I ran to him. "Gabe are you okay?!" I asked, though I knew perfectly well he couldn't hear me.

Lucifer watched Demyx leave quietly, going to help the others in Cole's arrival. Lucifer walked slowly to my side, as not to startle me, like I was a scared dear. I trembled slightly, clutching Gabe's cloaks. Vexen had changed Gabe's bloody cloaks a couple days ago –ew, but he was the doctor of us all, so he was nominated.

"How about we stay here? So you don't have to get all mixed up in the Organization's problems?" Lucifer asked, putting one icy hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head, pulling away from his light grasp on my body. "I have to watch the others, and besides, how else am I to be informed properly?" I asked dully, leaving emotionless and uncaring, feeling Lucifer follow me cautiously. "You've changed a lot." He started as we took off walking at a faster pace into the main hall, which was at the end of the hallway we were in now.

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly, keeping my fixed eyes on the white floor in front of me.

"What happened to being happy? And sad? Your emotions are……dissolved. It's because of Gabriel, I know. But he's breathing! Isn't that enough?" He demanded, almost yelling. I thought hard this time, but my eyes did not change from their never different stare. "Because…my heart….is gone."

Now we heard screams emanating from the main hall, recognized as Cole Crandall, the angel, and about a fourth of his whole Nobody army. "Give me the darkness! And if you do, I'll cancel my little attack coming the day after tomorrow!" He said, giving a compromise, which wasn't too bad, but still, the darkness for the battle plan? No way. The darkness would just give him more power so if he _did _attack later, he would have more of a chance of winning. Xemnas shook his head firmly.

The angel blew up at that, throwing his hands in the air, and yelling as many of cuss words as there were. I didn't even flinch. But it killed me again in the inside. I sudden rush of feeling washed over me. Anger. I just wanted to go over there and punch him, really hard. I cracked my knuckles, so used to doing it, hardly even noticed I was doing it. It caught Cole's attention.

"Char? I'm so happy to see you! How's your little boyfriend?" Cole asked mockingly, walking excitedly to my side. I steamed internally, though he couldn't see it on my dead expression. But out of it all, my right eye twitched once, and then, I punched him so hard, he fell back, going to the floor. "Man! You've one heck of a poker face!" Cole yelled, rubbing his barely sore face, which turned normal in seconds. Luxord put his hand to his chin, deep in thought, checking down "never play poker with Charlotte" on his mental list.

My face stayed the same, never flinching from its exact place. Cole took this as a challenge. How much he's changed over the short months, I vaguely remember him back at Destiny Islands, when he found me in the ocean, and actually helped me out of the water and saved me. But that was all in the past now, he was a vicious monster in real life. Cole charged up to me once again, this time prepared, I waited. A soft breeze came in from the open great doors, ruffling my ribbons and laces on my dress. Before my conscious knew it, I was thrown across the large white hall, several gasps reaching the air as my dead body hit the marble floor with a deafening thump.

I lay there, motionless, for a couple seconds, but right on time, just as Lucifer came to help me, I blew up. I bolted back over to Cole, kicking him in the groin. He fell forward in pain, clutching his last crumbs of dignity. He had been kicked, by a _girl. _If my heart hadn't been gone, I would have laughed, but it was still gone, causing me to just resort to doing nothing.

Lucifer ran over to me, shock written clearly on his pale face. He positioned his slender hands on my shoulders, looking me straight in the eye for a couple seconds. I listened. "Charlotte! Will you stop?! You're going to get hur-!"

Without warning, Lucifer fell to the floor, gripping his arms as if to hold himself together, screaming out his agony. I bent down to him, taking his one side in my arms. "Lucifer." I called gently, it was my fault, he had been feeling a normal human emotion, worry. But what baffled me was, worry shouldn't have triggered it so easily, there must have been another masked emotion there, I couldn't see.

"Dude! Are you going to be okay?" Demyx asked, coming over to us. I shook my head to Demyx, motioning for him to step away. He did. They all did. But Cole……decided to see what wrecked Lucifer up, he was curious I guess you could say, as curious as powerful angels get. "Yo! What's happening to Lucy?" Cole called, apparently, he had caught Lucifer's name…..well at least part of it. I was steaming, but it was out of control, this was the first real sensation I had had in ages. "It's none of your beeswax!" I yelled across the hall, making many of the Organization members step back once more.

Cole took this as a challenge.

The body in my arms had changed shape by the time I looked down again, and who was there, I didn't know his name. I slowly looked down to my arms, trying to identify his face. I looked hard into those golden eyes that stared at me, tears in them. "Why do you cry?" I asked softly, coating my words in pure kindness and love.

His look had definitely changed, as I looked down into what seemed like a fourteen year old, his skin less blemished, eyes more round, and the hair a light chestnut color.

I only tried to soften my normally hard dead expression, trying to cheer him up. But he was no fourteen year old who could be wooed by a smile and kind words into happiness once again. He was Lucifer. He tore away from my grasp, running down the white hall till he reached the dungeon stairs, and ran down those. I sighed gently, getting to my feet. Cole had waited –as patiently as possible for him- nicely, while the whole ordeal was being worked out. Which I found quite strange, but he cleared it up once I let my eyes fall on him again.

"So? Is junior there gonna be okay?" He scoffed, arms crossed.

I growled in my throat, about ready to run agilely up to him and give him another present, but Axel stopped me.

"Guys! Can't we just get to the point? Fighting won't resolve anything!" He yelled, holding me back by the arms.

Cole raised one eye brow waiting for Xemnas to take care of it. Xemnas wasn't one to solve other's problems usually, but this was important, it ruptured his work schedule, so, that inclined him to stop it now.

"I don't give out darkness like free candy." Xemnas said quietly but deeply, and his voice sounded throughout the hall. Demyx looked confused, and he took one step towards his superior. "You give out free candy?" I finally broke away from Axel's grasp, and ran the other way, going to find Lucifer.

I called his name out, but when the thought came to me that he probably had another name, I just tried to follow the way he had gone before.

"Lucifer!" I called out desperately, breathless, and coming to the last cell in the long row of them. The dungeon was white, but with all the lights off, it was as dark as ever. "Lucifer, please! I want to help you! There's nothing wrong with you! You're not a demon!" I yelled, feeling tears start to well up in my eyes.

"Please? I still love you." I announced, stringing it was sincerity. I heard a small cough sound from the last cell, it's contents invisible, the darkness masking them. "Lucifer?" I asked softly, stepping inside the large cell, blindly searching through it, until, something small grabbed my leg, and pulled me down. I couldn't even see his face, but I could imagine it, and how beautiful he was, his gentle gold eyes touching my cheeks.

I hugged him tightly, his now small frame easy to fit around my arms. Tears streamed freely down my face now, and I was surprised the blood hadn't come yet. "I'm so glad I found you." I said into his shoulder, still audible through his shirt. He didn't move, it was like hugging a dead person, I pulled away slowly. "What's wrong?" I asked quietly, starting to play with his cute hair in the dark. My emotions were still not allowing me to smile at his odd behavior or to smile to heal his wounds, it made me feel sad. He took something out of his pocket, it was soft, and napkin shaped, he handed it to me. "Here." He said plainly, but smacked his hand to his mouth as soon as he uttered the word.

I accepted the tissue, wiping my face raw.

Then I took his scrawny shoulder in my hands, throwing the tissue to the floor.

"I will love you no matter what, I don't care if you occasionally turn three or four years younger than you usually are." I said, trying my best to keep my face loving, but it was hard without a heart. Good thing he couldn't see my face.

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	7. Darkness

I wrote this chapter...a long time ago, so maybe my writing has changed since then...who knows? But as it comes ot chapter...eight? It should be my most recent writing...not that it matters to you. But I will do my editing in this one.

Oh by the way, Kin is pronounced as 'KEEN' just so you know. It's Japanese.

7: Darkness

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I led Lucifer out into the white halls, the darkness left behind us. Now that the dark dungeon was left behind us, I got a good look at Lucifer's beautiful fourteen year old face. Not that he wasn't cute when he was eighteen, just more….childlike. It was a certain beauty. So we stopped in my room, and I spun him around to look into his gorgeous golden eyes. But then I realized, hadn't Gabriel's eyes been golden once? But when he was dying, they had turned blood red, what had happened?

The kid in baggy clothes standing in front of me was looking up at me expectantly, waiting for me to do something. I stared into his found eyes, trying to find the older Lucifer in them. "So, do you have a name for your younger self? Cause Lucifer is a little long." I said, walking over to my bed and sitting down next to Gabriel. Lucifer walked over to the bed, climbing up onto it with a bit of difficulty. "Kairi called me, Kin." He said, his expression as glum as mine was, I wanted to brighten it up.

"Why?" I asked, letting wonder fill my eyes. He met Kairi along his way here? Hmmm.

Lucifer shook his head softly. "It means golden." It shocked me, how much it _did _fit him. "When did you meet Kairi?" I asked, letting some stray hairs fall to my cheeks. Kin blushed, but before I could even wonder why he was doing this, the lights went out, and a puff of smoke engulfed me and Lucifer. When the lights returned, the older Lucifer was sitting in front of me, quite shocked. I stared, now filled with suspicion, and then it came to me. If an emotion turned him into Kin, then an emotion must have turned him back. But what emotion had that been?

"Well, we're gonna be late for lunch, come on." I said, giving Gabriel a kiss before leaving out the door with Lucifer. Before exiting the room all the way, Lucifer let me go on a ahead, just as to get one last little look at Gabriel's sleeping figure. When he caught up, I was already at the lunch hall, waiting to hear all the stories of the visit from Cole, Demyx was sure to tell me. So we entered the eating hall, having every pair of eyes on us till we reached our table.

"What happened after we left?" I asked, glancing sideways at Lucifer for a second. Demyx shook his head, mouth stuffed with sandwich. "Not much. You were the life of the party." He chuckled, pointing at me and Lucifer. "After you left, he just gave Xemnas one more chance to give him the darkness, and when Xemnas refused –again- he left, announcing his attack date."

I thought for a moment, would there be any special reason why Cole would tell some one when he was going to attack? Is he lying? I guess we'll find out soon, the date is going to be this Saturday, three days away. So he had changed the time from what Riku had heard from Sora, okay, we can do this, just need some practice. I'll have to get in some time with my keyblade soon. So I slowly chewed on my sandwich savoring every last morsel, and then left the table, feeling the eyes retract to me as I neared the door.

I had gotten one emotion back so far, my anger.

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**Gabriel's POV**

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Suddenly I felt something soft touch my lips, I stopped. It was sweet, and I wanted it to last longer, but it was gone in a second, and I looked over to the limp body over my shoulder, which was now glowing red. She had kissed me in the mortal world. Just a small kiss. But I already felt more strength returning to my weakened muscles, and I started to climb the wall faster, the feeling coming back to my numb fingers. Yet, I still had to figure out why Charlotte's heart was glowing red; it was an utter mystery to me, something on the outside must have been happening.

So, as far as I knew, every time Lucifer felt a human emotion, he turned into Kin. Strange. Very strange indeed. But I kept on climbing, pulling my love and myself up, the screams of hell starting to sound more distant. "So, God, you want me to return to the mortal world?" I asked, pausing, just in case he had changed his mind.

"Yes. But you must make it to the door at the top of this wall." He said clearly, his voice full of power, the kind of power that made you want to fall down to your knees.

And if I hadn't been on a cliff, then I would be kneeling, but right now, all I could do was bow my head, the light from the heavens blinding. "Okay." I answered, taking hold of another ledge strong enough to carry my weight. "I'm coming."

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**Lucifer's POV**

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I stared up at the black ceiling, upturning my palms to face the sky. I lay on my new bed, which was covered in a thick cotton brown comforter, matching the dark blue walls. Xemnas had actually given me a room, it was like he didn't care anymore and if Cole wanted to attack the castle, he would without difficulty. The room was quite large, with only one thing in it, a bed. The only necessary thing was there.

My room was located next to Axel's, so if I needed anything, then I would wake him up. Yeah right, as if I'd do that. In the meantime, I was bored, not tired, not excited for the next day, and it was dark outside –like always- and the clocks read one o'clock.

It was already morning.

I rolled out of bed, falling to the hard wood floor.

"What are you doing in there?" Axel asked, knocking lightly on the door. He had heard the thump of my body hitting the ground. "Nothing." I called, slowly getting to my feet. I walked to the door, and opened it, facing Axel and seeing that he hadn't even gotten bed head from sleeping. Stupid magic hair.

As for my hair, it was everywhere, flying out in every direction.

"I'm going to go get a snack." I announced, pushing past number eight. He said nothing, so I took it as I was allowed to do this. I heard the subtle shut of his bedroom door, and pressed on. When I entered the lunch hall, I noticed how huge it looked when not packed with members. I slid behind the counter. Inside the kitchen, I saw how big it was, but the best part was the fridge. I reached for the handle, but as I did, I heard a small snigger. I flipped around, frantically searching the dim room, only lit by one small light on the fridge door. "Who's there?" I asked, feeling like a total idiot.

The laugh came again, only more pronounced this time.

I recognized it now.

"Demyx. Come out," he slid out from under the table, crawling till it was safe to stand without bonking his head on the rim of the table. "Ha! I really spooked ya that time didn't I?" I rolled my eyes, reaching for the fridge again.

Demyx quieted down quickly, and unexpectedly, I thought he would go on forever, but something about the way he approached me caught me off guard. "What?" I asked irritability, pulling a carton of orange juice from the cold white box next to me.

Demyx only stared, watching my every movement, and his eyes devoted on figuring something out. I slowly poured the juice into a glass, watching Demyx watch me, my every movement…..

Then before he realized, I hit him upside the face with the carton, shocking him by all means. He tossed the carton for a little while, trying to get a firm hold on it, until…..he caught it. Thank goodness, that could have made a big mess. He sighed, putting it back where it belonged, in the fridge. I took a sip of the juice, getting ready to go back to bed, when Demyx asked me the question that had been eating away at him.

"What does it feel like to have a heart?"

These words took a toll on me, that's for sure, I spit the juice out, coughing as the tangy liquid hit my wind pipe, making it sting badly.

Not to mention the fact that I almost suffocated.

Demyx quietly picked up a cloth from the sink, rinsing it, and then starting to mop up the mess I had made. I swallowed normally this time, trying to clear that awful sting in my throat. When Demyx was finished, he got back up, throwing the wash cloth into the sink. I put my glass on the counter, taking a breath of 'not orange juice' air.

"Its….."

I couldn't find words for Demyx's question, but his expression was pleading, and actually serious. That's strange. I walked over to the other side of the room, feeling Demyx's gaze follow me. I was by the door now, for easy escapes.

"It's wonderful. If you there was a way you could get it back….having a heart is a blessing. And you can do so many things with it. Love, hate, feel…..different things….hearts are essential to a person's survival. There must be a way we could get it back for you. For everyone." It was hard, telling him this, but if I was going to, then I would give it to him as much as I could. Living without a heart was dreadful….I had seen it in Charlotte's eyes since I met her in the mall.

A dead look.

No feeling. No love. No something. It was like it was all lost, in her beautiful blue eyes, her internal self just floating around, with no want to do anything, to be anything…..all except for the reason _why _her heart was gone. Gabriel. He was the only thing she found comfort in now, the only thing that brought her heart back….if only for a little while.

It felt weird explaining this kind of thing to a guy, and a joke-around sort of a guy too. Strange.

Demyx listened eagerly, sitting cross-legged in the center of the kitchen table. I sipped my juice, this time swallowing it completely. "Well, I'd better get back to bed," I said, dumping the rest of the unwanted juice into the sink. I was such a waster. Demyx followed me out of the kitchen, grabbing an apple on the way out, something he did a lot. But, as we came to the doors of the eating hall, I stopped.

"What does it feel like, not to have a heart?"

I could feel Demyx's mood shift from behind me. "I don't know really. I can't feel things as well I guess….but when it comes to laughing or smiling, I'm the best!" Demyx said excitedly, pushing past me and leaving.

I sighed, and went back to bed, the night had been too much for one to handle.

All I had wanted in the beginning was a glass of orange juice.

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**Charlotte's POV**

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The scent of Gabriel clung to the sheets till morning, and I had a difficult time getting up from the white comforter.

I rolled off the bed to the floor, landing on my knees. Gabriel lay on a thin mattress over in the corner of the room, a curtain strung above him for privacy –which made no sense, since he was half dead anyways. The curtain was closed, and I walked over to my dresser. Inside, were many different styles of black lace and silk dresses, each sewn with the same material. I pulled a random one out, and put my gray stockings on, and then pulled the dress on over top.

I tied my hair up with a black ribbon, and went to say good morning to Gabriel.

That's how I spent my mornings.

Yes, it was all very boring, but I liked it that way, and I could slowly feel my smile coming back. The battle was coming within two days, and everyone was still preparing. The only time I saw them was at breakfast, lunch, and supper.

A knock came at my door, pulling me out of a trance-like state.

"Yes?" I opened the door, almost going red at what I saw.

The girl smiled at me, her arms twisted around another boy. "Hello!"


	8. Visitor

Hullo everyone! I'd like to say that I'm finally fed up with Charlotte, and that some one is coming to knock her back into her senses.

I hope you like it!

This memory verse is dedicated to Charlotte, she really need this one in this chapter.

**Philippians 4:13 NIV**

**I can do everything through him who gives me strength.**

I'm so fired up.

**Viewer discretion is advised. **

**It's not a bloody chapter or anything –don't get your hopes up- I'm just making you cautious for what lays ahead. **

8: Visitor

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I stared, blank expression, at two old friends, their faces lit up with happiness. "Charlotte!" Sora pulled me into a hug, smiling his biggest.

"We missed you so much!" Tami chimed in, taking her turn to embrace me.

I coughed a bit at her tight squeeze, but regained myself once let go. I brushed my dress off, turning to look up at the two. Sora had his arm around Tami's waist, his bright blue eyes sparkling with a certain joy that puzzled me. My eye brows knitted together, the joyous couple stopping their smiles for a second to take it my dead appearance.

"What Riku told you was right. I'm not the same," I told them. Without saying another word, Tami took me into an 'I'm here for you' sort of hug, I found lopsided. I really didn't take it in, it's not like I wanted the hug, or them to be here. Bad times were coming, it'd be best if they left for a while off to Destiny Islands. A sudden of disgust crossed Sora's face; it actually caught me off guard. "What is your problem? Don't you care anymore? Don't you have faith in him?!" Sora was really upset, and by the look on Tami's face, she hadn't expected this either.

"God is watching out for him! Why is it that you only trust in Gabriel in to come back? Well, God must want him back so get over it! He's coming, you don't have to freak out about it," my usually apathetic expression was slapped off, and I felt a wave of shock and blushes come across my skin. I let him continue.

"It…sickens me! To see you so doubtful here, only trusting in your Gabriel. It's wrong, God's there too. He's coming, so you don't have to fret. Let the light back in! Don't let it get to you like this!" Sora was now to the point where he was shaking my shoulders. It made an impact on me, my heart may not be back, but that didn't mean that I couldn't smile. It all came down to it, Sora was right. Lucifer was running down the hall towards us at that moment, a goofy grin plastered to his face. It was funny. And I laughed.

Okay at this moment, I was marveling in the fact that I could feel the happiness, it was like my heart was back, I had been pushing God away this whole time, and now that I let him back in, I was saved. It was like being reborn. I took Lucifer into a hug, smiling through more tears. Lucifer was utterly shocked by this action, but took it anyway.

I could _feel _the others at my side, happiness and sadness simultaneously emanating from me. I finally pulled away from Lucifer, my face shining through the last of my tears. I wiped them away quickly with my sleeve, and turned to Sora and Tami. "So, are you guys here for the battle?" I said through subtle sniffs. Sora smiled a bit, and nodded. "And Riku brought Kairi, she's here to see Lucifer," as Sora said this, I could tell Lucifer stiffened. The way that Tami and Sora smiled while saying this got me curious……too curious for me to be able to contain it. My eyes darted between the grinning couple and Lucifer, suspicions growing deep inside me.

Speak of the devil they say. The cute girl came running down the hall at that moment. "Charlotte!" A smile graced my lips, as I pulled her into a hug.

"In a hug mood are we?" Riku's voice came from behind Kairi, happiness sounding in his tone.

I pulled away from Kairi and ran around her to Riku, giving him a hug as well. Hugs all around, it would soon get boring with all the Organization members we had to go through. Down the line! From one to thirteen. _"I love you Xemnas!" _Hugs superior Then onto Xigbar….

When I broke the embrace, I stood back to get a clear look at his face. A smirk rested in near middle, right below his nose and eyes that found themselves down to mine. I stepped away, seeing as Demyx came running down the hall towards everyone. "Charlotte? Charlotte!" Without my want to, Demyx pulled me into a strong hold. "I'm so glad you're back to normal," he said into my ear.

"Yeah, I am to." He then let me go, and glanced back down the corridor.

"Something's happening out there. Cole said he was coming tomorrow, but some of us have a feeling he's already arrived."

This brought worry to my face, messing it up. "Come on, we'd better head down and check everything out." Demyx said, grabbing my hand.

He led me away from everyone else, but I could feel them close behind us. When we reached the main hall, everything was in chaos. Who knew that one hall could cut off so much noise? Without waiting for anyone else, I ran outside.

Heartless and Nobodies ran around causing destruction throughout the world, as one angel flew above it all. In the dark skies, commanding the load of lost hearts, was the most corrupt heart of them all. His face was dark, his eyes red, white wings beating the air soundlessly. Unintentionally my jaw dropped, just seeing an angel again caught me in a gasp. Cole swooped down to me, his grin spreading out into an inquiring look.

"How's your boyfriend? Feeling better I take it?"

My eyes widened, but no emotion came to me. Only the warm breeze hit my cheek. "What? He's not better yet? Aw, that's too bad. No one can save you now." Demyx ran up to me, pulling me back. The musician gave Cole a cold look, one of the most icy he could give. Cole only raised an eye brow. "New boyfriend?"

That was it.

I pulled away from Demyx easily, walking up to Cole with the utmost anger I could muster. He smiled. He flew back far enough to just miss my punch, and I ended up hitting air. He laughed, clutching his chest as if it were really that hilarious. "Ah man, that was funny…I really did see it coming. You are good at not showing it in your face though, I'll give you that. But you've got this certain….pulse in your fist before you throw the punch…ha ha." My right eye twitched a bit.

I only relaxed my stance back a bit, and rolled my eyes. "You're getting old. Come on, let's finish this." I called my keyblade out, holding it loosely in my right hand. The dark angel threw his head back…laughing again. "You really think…." He said between laughs, "You can beat me?!" He came back up, rushing down to meet me eye to eye. His expression grew as hard as stone like. I made my eyes marble, my stare solid. "Maybe not alone, but with God guiding me, anything's possible." Cole began to laugh again.

"You think your little God can help you?! Oh that's hysterical!" He leaned over – still flying of course—and continued to laugh at the humorless joke. I could feel Sora smile widely back a ways.

"My God can do anything."

Cole finally stopped the continuous snickering, and stood straight. "Is that right? Well then, we'll have to see about that." He then, without warning shot a large Shadow Ball at me. I wasn't prepared. I threw my arm up in a last attempt at protection, scrunching my eyes shut and sending out a quick prayer. Beams of light burst out of my arm, and the Shadow ball ricocheted off and hit the castle next to us. A chunk of the castle broke off, and hit hundreds of Heartless beneath. The light temporarily blinded my foe. He let out an almost silent, "Ow."

I smiled, lifting my head up to the heavens, God was with us. Right now. Watching over me, always there for me.

Cole noticeably swallowed. His black hair was out of place. I took in a deep breath, letting new air fill my suffocating lungs. Next I felt several people surround me. "We're helping too," Sora said. He brought out his keyblade as well, and stood beside me. "You can handle bird breath here right?" Demyx asked in my ear, leaning in. I nodded.

"Good. We'll get the Heartless." He and the others ran off in the direction of the castle courtyard, the only ones who stayed with me were Sora and Riku.

"Well, this is it. We shall go together," Riku commented, chuckling at his joke.

I laughed a bit too.

(In case you don't get the joke: _"You shall go together…" Xemnas. Yeah I know, pretty subtle joke, but if you remember it can be funny….LAUGH DANG YOU!!!)_

The angel rolled his neck to the sides, making it crack. "Okay, you asked for it."

**Gabe's POV**

Everything around me went silent. No voices entered the room, no sound except for a distant crash.

Charlotte's heart rested on my shoulder, still glowing red. But then, out of the blue, it started to breathe. I could feel weight blowing off of my chest. She was waking up on the other side. She was coming back to life. God had reached her through her shell. Broke the shell. Broke Satan.

But everything was so quiet up there, what was happening? Oh no.

But it can't be, not now! I thought he was coming tomorrow!

My grip on the cold, slat ledges tightened, and I could feel more power rush through my veins. "The time to go is now!" I began to climb the wall with more urge, as sounds of battle grew closer. The screams from Hell had gotten further away, but battle drew near. There was no running away from it. The ridges in the rock didn't break any more, and I kept going at a steady pace.  
Charlotte's heart was getting warmer with life, there seemed to be a magnetic pull now, between her heart and her herself.

I only smiled, the force of magnetism making the heart lighter for me. Everything was piecing together at last moment, coming together to make a stand to fight. The field of battle was crowded with thousands of Heartless and Nobodies, and they're leader, Cole.

The time was at hand; the ending time now, there was now escaping it.

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Yes! Everything is coming together…..now I've just got to stretch out the battle till chapter twenty…..nah! I'll finish it on chap ten. Then, I'll make a record for world's longest Epilogue. LOL have a nice day, R&R!!...NOW!


	9. Silent Tidings

Okay, so did you like the last chapter? I hope you did, cuz I'm pumped and ready for another.

Today, I have a saying from the Trans Siberian Orchestra.

_Here the tragically beautiful  
And the beautifully tragic  
Drift through this night  
In a last quest for magic_

9: Silent Tidings

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Clouds veiled the dark sky of The World That Never Was.

Every inch of the streets packed with hungry Heartless.

An angel flew above them all, not an angel of light, but of shadow.

The light was fading….

Only darkness surrounded the world.

But as wings beat the stale air, light clambered out of shadow's clutches.

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Warm air filled my lungs, the surrounding breeze no different. I blinked, a dull sense of curiosity washing over me, I watched Cole closely. His brow was twisted to a messed up state, his eyes lost in a sea of questions. Shock still shone in his eyes, like an ember from a fire pit. A slow smile spread across my face, and I readied my keyblade. "You ready?" I asked, getting a couple loose nods from Sora and Riku. Cole bared his teeth, showing off sharp but practically blood stained teeth. What was he doing? Biting his victims? Man he's gotten rabid over these few short days. It hasn't even been a full week since Gabriel died. Only a few days, and in these few days, I've come in and out of severe depression. Wow. Thank you God.

Cole nimbly cast himself at me, unsheathing long claws. I held up my keyblade as defense, waiting for the hard blow. He hit the keyblade, hands on either side, trying to push me down. I felt Sora at my side; he hit Cole in the face, trying to get him off of me. It worked. Cole flew back, getting ready again. I glanced quickly over to my two companions. They both nodded and kept at the ready. Any tricks Cole might have in store would not be tolerated. I attacked, targeting on his chest. Yes, he was floating above us all, but I could jump. I gave it my basket ball dunk jump, and pushed off the ground. Wait…I didn't even know I had a basketball dunk jump. Ha, I didn't, God gave it to me. While still in the air, I slashed Cole across the front, when he was least expecting it. He lurched back, grasping his stomach.

"That's it. I'm going to teach you a lesson, you'll never forget. You won't be coming out of this battle without some scars."

I narrowed my eyes, brandishing my keyblade once again, my grip as tight as a Cobra's. I could feel Riku and Sora at either side of me, glancing at one another. I set my eyes upon my enemy, ready to strike. Cole dived down at us, clawing his way through Sora and Riku to come down to me. I blocked him off his my keyblade, but his force was heavy. He broke through, cutting a long gash in my side. Warm blood ran down my skin, the fabric of the dress torn off there.

Cole chuckled in his throat coming down for more. Only this time, Riku got a good hack at his neck, slashing a good bit out. Cole twitched.

Riku growled, fury glazing his icy blue eyes. He slid agilely around Cole, while Sora kept him busy in the front, and ran his keyblade down Cole's back. He then used Magic on him, and flames spit out of the keyblade. Cole got mad. He pushed Riku and Sora aside with a couple blows of his claws, and went for me. I threw some Ice at him, putting a coating of ice around the angel's arm. He clenched his fist, making the ice around it break.

He came back, taking a bite at my shoulder. Yes, I said bite. I hadn't been expecting this. Why hadn't I blocked him off? He had totally gone insane. I let out a blood curling scream. His teeth were long and sharper than I would have imagined a person's to be. Only he was hardly a person anymore. They slid in without difficulty. Many horror struck faces turned to my scream. When Cole drew back –he did so very calmly- he licked his dark red lips, sour words protruding from his mouth.

"You have very sweet blood. Now I know why Gabriel likes you so much."

There was no room in my heart for pain now as anger pushed in out of the way. The holes in my shoulder seemed to be nonexistent as I ran at the evil angel, keyblade slashing its way over Cole's chest. Sora threw me a Hi-Potion, healing my gash in my side partly, and giving me some strength. Cole drove his nails down either arm, having Sora and Riku at his back.

I cried out into the air, the pain breaking through my fury.

I kneeled before Cole, blood dripping down my arms and shoulder. Agony rushed through me like a burning fire. Yet, no tears came.

Suddenly, something dark flashed through my vision, I was seeing something else. It was dark, with a bit of light coming from close above. Water running over some slate rocks, cliffs, and ledges. Pale hands gripped the small ledges with haste. Then the vision was gone. What did it mean? Before any other thought had its way in my head, Cole came back at me. I looked at him at the last moment, his face racing towards mine. My eyes widened slightly, then narrowed. I picked up my keyblade once again, and held it out in front of me.

Cole grabbed it, and threw it away. Sora gave me another Potion in a hurry. Riku sliced his way at Cole's side. So many things happening at once. Pain, killing, suffering.…..death. My eye brows creased, my knees starting to bleed from the broken pavement under me. But, out of Sora's and Riku's yells, Cole's cries of fury, my heart's screams of pain…out of the blood, I could heard some one calling my name.

It wasn't Riku. Not Sora. Not Kairi.

The familiar voice sent waves of peace through me, and I could finally hear it clearly.

"Charlotte! I'm coming!"

Everyone including Cole looked up, but I kept my head down, in fear of it being a total disappointment. Then Arms wrapping securely around me, picking me up and out of the way. My wounds did not react to the cool touch, they softened, and the pain almost went away. He bent down to my ear.

"I missed you, here this is for you." He put something in my hand, his fingers still quite cold. Whatever it was, it was glowing a bright red.

"W-What is it?" I asked, unsure.

He chuckled –which surprised me. "It's your heart, silly. I brought it back for you." Cole growled above us. Black wings covered me, blinding me for a second. And when they pulled back, I was sitting farther away from everyone else. Gabriel bent down in front of me this time.

"I'll be right back. Stay safe."

Cole was not happy.

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YAY!


	10. Through the Fire and Flames

Okay, so I hope you liked the last chapter. I did. Anyways! I have a song for you this time! The last song for this story (maybe) and watch you're probably happy about this. Well, I love the songs I have picked out, so, blah you.

Now this song isn't Christian, but it's not totally bad, all except for this one line, where he's like, "We look toward heaven with resentment in our eyes…blah blah." Everything else fits this story SO perfectly. I want you to hear it. And if you get the chance to download this song, do because it's AMAZING!

_**Dragonforce, Through the Fire and Flames. **_

_On a cold winter morning, in the time before the light, in flames of death's eternal reign, we ride towards the fight. When the darkness has fallen down, and the times are tough all right. The sound of evil laughter falls around the world tonight. Fighting hard, fighting on for the steel, through the wastelands evermore, the scattered souls will feel the hell, bodies wasted on the shore. On the blackest plains in Hell's domain, we watch them as they go, through fire and pain, and once again we know... _

So now we're flying we're free, we're free before the thunderstorm, on towards the wilderness, our quest carries on. Far beyond the sundown, far beyond the moonlight, deep inside our hearts and all our souls... So far away we wait for the day, For the lives all so wasted and gone; We feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days- Through the fire and the flames we carry on!

(Small interlude)

As the red day is dawning, and the lightning cracks the sky, they'll raise their hands to the heavens above with resentment in their eyes. Running back through the midmorning light, there's a burning in my heart; we're banished from a time in a fallen land, to a life beyond the stars. In your darkest dreams see to believe, our destiny is time, and endlessly we'll all be free tonight...! 

_And on the wings of a dream, so far beyond reality; All alone in desperation, now the time has gone. Lost inside you'll never find, lost within my own mind, Day after day this misery must go on! So far away we wait for the day, for the lives all so wasted and gone, we feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days, through the fire and the flames we carry on! _

(Big interlude)

Now here we stand with their blood on our hands, we fought so hard now can we understand Ill break the seal of this curse if I possibly can for freedom of every man! So far away we wait for the day, for the lives all so wasted and gone, we feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days, through the fire and the flames we carry on! 

Wow that was long. 7 minute song. Warning: This chapter will be a bit more bloody.

9: Through the Fire and Flames

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**GPOV**

Though blood puddles at my feet –Charlotte's blood no doubt- I couldn't help but smile at the fact of seeing her again. Amazingly, no one else had been so brutally attacked as Charlotte had been. The Heartless and Nobodies were still too many too count and the others kept on fighting. I sighed lightly, brushing my old coat off, and looking to my eternal enemy.

Cole glared, his eyes blood red.

I nodded once to Sora and Riku, a smile spreading across my face. No sword came to my hands. My Organization weapons had been destroyed. I bit my lip, sending out a silent prayer. I needed something to fight with. Cole laughed.

"What now? Is your God going to give you a sword?!" He choked, laughing uncontrollably.

I rolled my eyes, holding my fist partly open. A light came to my finger tips, and sparkles ran over my knuckles. I clasped my hand around a silver hilt, and a broad blade burst out of it, sliding out till it hit the ground. Cole gawked before he could stop himself. I couldn't stop from laughing. Thanking God, I leapt into action.

Cole blocked my blow instantly, holding it off with his hands, his miraculous plan flawed when his palms started to give way and bleed. He threw the sword off, clenching his fists, blood squeezing itself out between his fingers. His right eye twitched. He jumped forward –more like spazzed forward, but whatever- baring his claws. I shielded myself with my wings.

"Wish you had thought of this brilliant idea?" I asked from within my wings, chuckling. Cole snarled.

"Come out here and fight me!" Cole screamed. I sighed. "You're right, this is boring."

I drew my wings back, simultaneously getting gashes along my chest from Cole. "Agh!" I threw out my hand, still holding the sword firmly. I fought Cole off. Sora and Riku jumped to my side –wherever they had been. Maybe they had been checking on Charlotte, thinking I was okay fighting Cole alone, who knows? Cole took his chance, and stepped forward, running his nails down my right arm –my sword arm- wounding it greatly, I tried to stop him…..

I tossed my sword to my left hand, taking it my other fist and cutting Cole in the shoulder, making a deep gash. Cole flew up high in the air, holding his arms out wide as a large Shadow ball grew in his grip. He threw me a wicked grin. "I know you just crave the taste of blood in your mouth, I can get that for you." He cast the electric Shadow through the air, aimed for me. It was coming fast, but I had faith. I held my sword up, the Ball of sheer power driving at me. It hit the silver hard, but maintained shape, so I jerked the sword up, and the Ball went flying back at Cole with greater speed.

This time, he wouldn't be able to dodge.

"Have a taste of your own medicine." I said sourly, as the Ball collided with Cole. He fell back, crashing against the nearby buildings. I waited for him to get up once again. Nobodies hastened to his side, I watched, confused. All fighting stopped around me. Sora and Riku, still by Charlotte's curled up form, looked up also. I could feel Charlotte's curious eyes search my face.

"What's happening?" I could hear Demyx yell from somewhere off to the side.

All was silent. Except for the little moaning of the Nobodies. "Demyx, where are the Heartless?" I called back. The Nobodies were now seemingly dancing around Cole.

"Dunno. They disappeared."

I swallowed. The Nobodies then all dived in on Cole at once, as if fighting over who would get him. I felt some one run to my side. Cold hands took hold of my bleeding arm, and I detached my eyes from the havoc to look down at her. "What's happening?" She asked innocently.

I pulled my arm out from under her grasp, and put my hand on her head, stroking her hair back –and getting blood in it no doubt. "Something bad, I want you to go back to the castle with Kairi and Tami and find Xemnas, the Nobodies are converging with Cole," I whispered. "Go, fast." She looked puzzled, turning to me fully. Her brow furrowed, and then she kissed me without as much as a word. When she drew back from my lips, she grabbed my hand and squeezed it, turning her face away from me. "If this is the last time I see you..." She choked out, subtle tears sliding down her cheeks, "I love you."

I took her shoulders in, turning her to face me. "I will not leave you again. God wanted me back to save you. I wo't let you die again. And God will keep us both alive." I smiled lightly, wiping her tears away with one finger. She nodded, shakign the tears away. She then turned, and ran towards the castle, calling Kairi and Tami to her.

Still in minor shock from the kiss, I flipped my attention towards to growing and glowing Angel.

Everyone gathered around me. "You ready?" I asked quietly, just as Sora and Riku took their places at either side of me. I could feel Riku roll his eyes. "I never thought I'd fight at the Anti Angel's side," he said, a bit of disgust coating his tone. I laughed.

"Well, this is _my _fight, you guys can leave. I'm the one who brought this upon you," I chuckled. Sora shook his head.

"We're in this together."

Cole stood then, totally transformed into a monster. Gray wings held at his back, and his face was hidden by a silver hood, zipped up almost all the way. His whole suit was silver, and it covered his feet too, all attached with zippers. Red eyes still glared themselves through the shadow of the hood. I stared back with force. Cole bolted forward, his claws ten blades about to slice through their target.

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**CPOV**

I had hold of Kairi's hand, Tami running beside me. I was having a little trouble seeing, since I had lost so much blood, I could see black blotches growing in through my vision. Kairi noticed my problem. "Wait, stop for a minute and rest. Tami and I will go get the superior." I took her advice, planting myself on the white floor –although there was a cushioned chair in sight Kairi had recommended. I felt so dizzy the cold floor sounded more reassuring.

They came back quickly, and at first it looked like he hadn't come, but there he came, slowly emerging from his office, a dead look on his face.

"I hear there is a bad storm outside," Xemnas said calmly, coming up to me. I got to my feet, still wobbly. Kairi helped me.

"Yes. And we need to help the others, it's getting really bad."

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**GPOV**

The battle was on fire at this point, and everyone had gotten their hit at the over-sized Cole. He stood at seven foot something I bet. Axel spun fire out and it came in waves, cutting through Cole's mask. The fabric of his hood flew around his neck, dark purple bruises scattered around his eyes. I gathered pixels of light in my palm, turning it into a weapon. I chucked it at him. He as blinded by it and tried to dodge, failing miserably. It hit him square between the eyes.

He growled like an animal. No human instincts seemed to be left.

"Let's finish this," I said darkly.

…..

Four people ran out of the castle; though the darkness blinded me from their identities at the moment. I only saw them out of the corner of my eye. All my attention had to be directly on Cole, not all of it was. The four people came to join the small crowd of people helping me defeat Cole. One pushed through the people to come to me, though not making it. Cole screwed his eyes into her, making her his next target. He clasped his large fist around her waist. She pulled at tight grip, the blood on her shoulder and arms almost dry now.

A deep growl rose in my throat.

"Put her down." I tried to keep my voice level. The monster laughed, shaking her like a toy. She screamed. I jumped forward, only to be fended off by another hand, sticking its nails into my shoulder. Long black nails of steel protruded from my back, and Cole pulled them slowly out, not sparing any pain. I cried out in agony. The others rushed to my side, hacking away at Cole and throwing more spells at him, all doing slight damage to him. What was the point of bringing Xemnas out here? To show him how strong I am? Yeah right, like I'd even care.

Anger burned through my mind like fire, eating away at all my composure. But then, I decided to let God take control, so I let go, knowing his power would help me save Charlotte.

A burst of light shattered my sword. My eyes flashed amber, and the clouds parted above. Pale light came through the dark clouds of The World That Never Was. I could feel a small tingling sensation at the tips of my fingers, and it grew up my arm, starting to infest into my chest. It was a suffocating feeling, and I took deep breaths, gasping lightly for air. Everyone stopped and turned to stare as the light surrounded me.

My eyes clenched shut.

My sensitive hearing could catch Cole's breathing, but I could not hear any heart beating, the nobodies must have eaten it. Cole swallowed hard. My eyes opened at last, to see the light pooling up underneath all of us. Cole dropped Charlotte, and she gasped for the air, trying to grab more and more. He had been choking her…

The light started to reach up at Cole's legs, and I could hear it sizzling at his gray suited legs. He yelped, jumping back and flying up, smirking at his smart idea. But the light only grew higher, eating at his feet and crawling up his legs. He screamed out at the pain, trying to fly higher, but he couldn't, it was pulling him down. His last cries were smothered at once as his head was pulled under also.

Cole was no more.

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Get ready for the longest epilogue EVAH!


	11. Comatose

Okay this song is for Charlotte, this is how she feels about God, she and Gabriel (the couple) have nothing to do with it. It fits this chapter perfectly. When Gabriel died, Charlotte lost God too, and this is her crying back for him.

_**Skillet, Comatose**_

_I hate feelin' like this, __I'm so tired of tryin' to fight this. I'm asleep and all I dream of is waking to You._

Tell me that You will listen. Your touch is what I'm missin' And the more I hide I realize I'm slowly losin' You .Comatose, I'll never wake up without an overdose of You.

I don't wanna live. I don't wanna breathe. 'less I feel You next to me, You take the pain I feel. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real) I don't wanna sleep. I don't wanna dream, 'cause my dreams don't comfort me. The way You make me feel. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real)

I hate livin' without You. Dead wrong to ever doubt You. But, my demons lay in waitin' Tempting me away. Oh, how I adore You. Oh, how I thirst for You. Oh, how I need You. Comatose, I'll never wake up without an overdose of You.

I don't wanna live. I don't wanna breathe. 'less I feel You next to me, You take the pain I feel. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real) I don't wanna sleep. I don't wanna dream, 'cause my dreams don't comfort me. The way You make me feel. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real)

Breathing life. Waking up. My eyes, Open up. Comatose, I'll never wake up without an overdose of You.

I don't wanna live. I don't wanna breathe. 'less I feel You next to me, You take the pain I feel. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real) I don't wanna sleep. I don't wanna dream, 'cause my dreams don't comfort me. The way You make me feel. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real) Oh, how I adore You. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real.) Oh, how I thirst for You. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real.)Oh, The way You make me feel. (Wakin' up to You never felt so real.)

11: Comatose

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CPOV

Pitch Black. Darkness surrounded me. The air was cold, frost biting at my fingers. The castle was empty. I was empty. Expressionless….dead. What had happened? Where had the love gone? Where had _my_ love gone? I felt utterly incomplete.

I huddled shoulders over, wrapping my arms around myself.

The white walls seemed to have a darker tint to them, their cold color haunting. My black laced dress shook with my shivers, as if a draft was coming in. Then I saw some one coming towards me. Everything was so real. Was this real? How could it be? I thought I had found God! Cole's crooked figure slumped its way over to me, in a sort of half-dead state. I screamed. It grinned wickedly, red eyes glaring me down to the floor. I kneeled on the tile, hands on my face, light tears streaming down my face.

As I looked up, picking my courage up off the floor, I saw a limp shape in his hands. It was long, and thick, it was some one I knew. And as Cole shook the body I could see it's hair shake in the light. Light blond hair. I screamed again.

"Gabriel waited for you…." Cole said coldly, "He trekked a long way for you….and then to see you die, he let me kill him!"

"No! Gabriel's not dead!" I yelled frantically, as the demon hit me in a weak spot.

"Oh yes he is. When he came back for you, he saw how happy you were with your friends. How happy you were with your beloved…God." He spit the word out like venom, that should have caused me to wonder, but I was in so much pain….

"So he left, leaving out the door, going to find his own path in life if you decided you didn't want him. Then I attacked him. Gabriel no more."

"NO!" I cried, "He's still a live! God saved us! God saved everyone!"

Cole laughed bitterly. "If only that were true, you poor, poor girl. Gabriel left you when he _thought _you were happy without him. Of course he'd be miserable without you, but he was willing. So with cherry thoughts in mind, I killed him. Gabriel was happy about it, he _hated _you."

"NO! That's not true! YOU'RE LYING!" I wept tears of blood now, and it hurt like a dagger sliding in through my ear. I screamed out in pure agony. "Oh Lord! Save me! Please! Save Gabriel!" I cried, my voice contorted and strained, it echoed through the empty halls.

When the pain got to be too much, I stood up, wiping the blood back into my hair. Cole looked at me, surprised. He continued to holding the dead body by the arm, showing how dead it really was. I swallowed back more blood, biting my fear back into its place. I snickered lightly, catching Cole's attention back. "You know what Cole? I don't believe a word you just said," I said confidently, narrowing my eyes down. My body was still shivering violently, though I was trying to conquer that too.

"Oh really?" Cole tried to sound strong, but his voice broke at the last moment. I shook slightly.

"Yep, and I believe that Gabriel still alive."

"Is that so?"

"And I believe that God is the one who saved us!" I yelled through the halls, the tears coming back. Only this time they were tears of happiness. Without waiting for him to reply, I continued on with my rant. " And I believe that you're dead!" Cole's eyes widened at that statement, he dropped the limp body, and started to fall apart at the knees. He fell down, splintering into a million pieces. When he had gone, I rushed over to Gabriel's side.

"Gabe! Wake up! Xero! Can you hear me?" I shook him a bit, feeling a horrible sense of Déjà vu dawn over me. Gabriel 'death'. "No…." I started to panic. "Wake up!" I pulled his upper half up onto my lap, wrapped my arms around his neck, and rocking back and forth. "Time to wake up Gabe….please…wake up. God please wake him up…." Silent tears ran down my face again. Man, they were getting annoying. They blinded me, welling up in my tear ducks and washing over my eyes.

"Gabriel….wake up…I need you….I need you!" I put more urgency into that last note. I started to get dizzy, from the pain, and I collapsed onto my side, something shaking _me _awake.

Everything shattered around me. The cold walls, Cole, none of it had been real. I found myself waking up in bed, some one gently shaking my shoulders and telling me it was going to be alright. The cool voice pierced my hard shell; I could feel my warm heart beating rapidly. The pale hands took me into their arms as I replied with a short, "Cole's dead."

"What's wrong?" I asked, confused at his being here. I mean, I knew that the whole battle that had happened the other night was real, but I wanted to know why Gabriel had come to holding me. He chuckled a bit under his breath.

"You were drying in your sleep, and Kairi came to get me."

Oh that right, Kairi and Tami had been sleeping in my room that night. Everything slowly came back to me, reality setting in. I hugged Gabe back. "I love you…." I could feel him smile, kissing the top of my head.

"I love you too."

The door swung open at that moment, a two tall people standing there, one leaning against the door frame. "Hey you two love birds! It's time for breakfast!" Axel shouted turning the lights on. Blood stained my cheeks, as well as cry tears, Gabriel turned me around. "You'd better go get cleaned up." He got off the bed, leaving me.

"See you at breakfast!" He said with a wide smile, waving as he left with the others. I smiled a bit as he disappeared, jumping off the bed and running to my bathroom.

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Okay, this is the beginning of a very long Epilogue, which I will make as interesting as I can, and I'll throw some action in as well, but I think Gabriel and Charlotte deserve that much. It should go onto 15 chapters….since I couldn't stand for it being something like…thirteen or twelve…..it'd drive me mad.

Any suggestions are welcome!


	12. Moving

12: Moving

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I grabbed a quick shower, slipping into a long floral skirt (came a little ways past my knees) and thermal purple long sleeved shirt. I pulled yellow socks on and plaid Converse sneakers over them. I combed my hair up into a ponytail, the left over bangs clipped back with a bobby-pin. I smiled lightly, looking at my pale complexion in the mirror. I left the bathroom, meeting Kairi and Tami back in my room, both of them looked shocked.

"What?" I asked, shrugging a bit.

"Nothing, you just look very different." Kairi said, just as Namine walked in. Namine smiled sweetly over at me, and then came to take my hand. "Let's go get some breakfast." I nodded, following her out. We walked silently to the Eating hall, muffled voices crowding together as we approached the doors. They all were sitting down at their tables, eating contently. Namine pulled me over to a half filled table, all of my friends filling most of the seats. Kairi and Tami entered behind us.

As I sat down, I noticed Gabriel was not here, before I could ask, he plopped down next to me, wearing a large grin. He carried a tray of food for himself, and one for me. "Here, I thought you might be hungry." He placed it in front of me, holding one eye brow above the other. I smiled at his funny face and picking up my fork.

Jokes rang there way across the table as I took a bite of the pancake, washing that down with some orange juice. Gabriel, Demyx, and Axel at the middle of every crack. Gabriel's wings were hardly noticeable, even though most of the time they hung over him, big and shadowy. As the eventful breakfast came to a close, I stood; taking my tray to the trash, everything in this Hall reminding me of public school cafeteria back on earth.

I felt some one at my heels, casting a heavy shadow on the floor. I laughed, turning to him as my tray was disposed of. "What's up?" I asked. He threw his tray away before answering me, swinging his wings around so that they didn't hit the trash can while turning. I could feel stares digging into my back, curious stares at the most. I waited patiently, feeling a bit more awkward every minute.

Suddenly –after looking at me with pondering eyes for while- Gabriel picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder, walking out the doors. I only have one thing to say –besides put me down of course- thank God I was wearing a long skirt. Gabriel's smile was wide as he marched down the hallways confidently. I sighed as he entered the large main hall. "What's wrong?" Gabriel asked at last.

"Oh nothing, just thinking." Wrong answer.

"What about?"

It took me a little while to answer, as I gathered my thought sup to together for a understandable answer. "About what to do now. It's obviously Xemnas won't have us staying here, I'm sure he'd rather bite his fingers off then house us. We're better off somewhere else, doing something else. Cole's gone, there's no more reason to fight, it's…..freeing."

Gabe chuckled, setting me gently on the floor again, taking either of my shoulders in his soft grasp. My bandaged arms were numbed, but still throbbing, the claws marks that ran down them burning every once in awhile. My shoulder had been more severely injured, and I'd heard Gabe grumble that he'd been too late a couple times. He looked down at me, looking over my face as if looking for something special.

"What's wrong?"

He sighed and laughed a bit. "I just haven't seen your face so alive forever. It's good to see it."

I walked over to a white leather couch in the seating area and sat myself down, curling my knees up onto the seat and wrapping my arms around them. Gabriel stood back for a second, inquiring my position so it seemed. His face broke out into a wide grin again as he sat down next to me, trying to figure out a way to put his arm around my stiff shape. He laughed, sliding it slyly around my neck and pulling me in, I was pinned.

I heard footsteps echo in the hall as other people approached, my hands gave way and my feet fell to the floor. Gabriel loosened on his firm grip and let my body shift over a bit till I sat up straight again. His arm moved to the ridge along the couch directly behind my head and shoulders. Demyx, Axel, Sora, Riku, Tami, Kairi, Lucifer, and Zexion walked in, taking random spots in the couch area.

"We have come here to discuss your move," Demyx said quietly, sadness filling his eyes. "It seems Xemnas doesn't want visitors for longer than today. Axel and Zexion and I were thinking we could move you guys to the old Mansion in Twilight Town, we'd still be able to visit." Demyx perked up at that last part.

Sora nodded, holding Tami close to him. "We can all go and fix that old house up, the King said he would be a phone call away if anything happen he should know about," Sora said cheerfully. Great, just what we need, an overprotective mouse on our tails…hah.

I looked over at Kairi and Lucifer, looking to see their opinion. Lucifer was blushing slightly, and Kairi was sitting quite close to him, I had the feeling she was the one that had triggered his transformations. He seemed alright now anyway. Poor Riku, he was the only lonely one. I'm sure he had other plans on his mind, probably to go off and battle himself to death so that he wouldn't need anything else. Hopefully, there was some one out there for him. And what about Zexion? Was he going to follow Xemnas for his whole life? Demyx and Axel were already falling away from him –which was good- but Zexion still seemed attached.

The future withheld many unknown things.

"So, what would you guys like?" I asked Riku, Kairi and Lucifer, since Sora and Tami seemed alright with it.

I suspected Riku would decline, thinking it boring being in a house full of couples, and I would be able to see it his way, it would be boring…..and now that I think of it, it would be boring. My eye brow creased, and I laid my hands on my still quite unsure about this whole idea. "I'd like to go live in the mansion," Kairi said, taking hold of Lucifer's hand. He then nodded along with her, a small smile spreading across his face.

As much as I would hate going to live in the King's castle, it seemed like the only way out. I wasn't being selfish, just thinking about the atmosphere. I agreed with Riku –although I hadn't even asked him what he thought of it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad…..

"What do you think Charlotte?" Gabriel's calm voice broke my indecisive thoughts.

"Um….I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to crowd up the mansion." Demyx laughed.

"That old house is filled with long hallways full of doors yet to be explored; you guys should fix it up. There'd be so much space you'd all think you were living in separate houses." Demyx explained, folding his arms behind his head. I thought about that for a minute, it may be possible….

Gabriel looked at my expectantly. "So…..what do you think?" I looked over at him, smiling a bit, my answer right behind my teeth. "Let's go."

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Packing wasn't a problem, as I left all my black dresses behind, leaving them in Namine's care –though most of them were soiled either from fighting or crying. We said our goodbyes and got in a Gummi of our own. Maybe Kairi and Lucifer didn't like driving with everyone else, or Sora just thought it was cooler to blast of with each of us having our own ships, I don't know, but Gabriel and I ended up in a silent ship. Gabriel drove there. Riku had stayed behind, loser.

Gabriel played _Family Force 5_ the whole way there, smiling as I sung along with every song. When we landed, we found ourselves in the empty back yard of the mansion, small wild flowers surrounding us. Gabriel pushed the ship off into the bushes, making me wait for him to catch up; I gladly stopped and sat down in the swaying grass. All that grew freely was over grown out here, and it gave off a liberated aura to it, very nice. When Gabe had cleared the gummi ship off out of the way, he took my hand, pulling me to my feet. His large wings fluttered almost silently behind us, though I could feel the shadow over me as he drew me in closer to him.

The house was basically dusty and broken, they just needed to clear the ways to the already furnished rooms above and beyond. The kitchen was found easily as well as the drawing room –which had a great window casting out on the backyard Gabriel and I had just been in. Kairi and me grabbed a room together, it was one of the only ones with two full sized beds, both of them covered in dust and lace. As my petty duties grew on, I decided that a trip the laundry mat was due soon…..very soon.

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Bored yet? I'll try to make it more interesting…just wait until I get deeper into it, after all they've only just arrived.


	13. Dusty Mornings

Well, I decided to do Gabriel's POV today; I feel he needs to have some light shed on his story now. Besides, I miss his POV.

Hmm, do I have a song for Gabriel? Let's check….

Okay this song is Gabriel talking to Charlotte while she's going through all the pain (while she thinks he's dead), he's talking about how she's abandoned God…he's also talking about how he needs her to be happy again, how much he needs her…..he's sad. And without God, he doesn't know the real her…aw….

_**Red, Gave it all Away**_

_You're here, trembling with fear, you made it clear, you turned your back and now you've gone astray. Nothing left to say. What's standing in your way? You had the chance to never walk alone. _

But you gave it all away, when I needed you to stay. Just open up your arms I need you here. I can do this on my own; I've got nothing left to show. Open up your arms I need you here!  


_Again, lying in your bed, nightmares in your head. Facing all that you just threw away. At the edge again, it's coming to an end. You had the chance to never walk alone. _

But you gave it all away, when I needed you to stay. Just open up your arms I need you here. I can do this on my own; I've got nothing left to show. Open up your arms I need you. I need you, here! Here! I need you, here! Here! You gave it all away, I needed you to stay. Open up your arms I need you. I can do this on my own; I've got nothing left to show. Open up your arms I need you here, but you gave it all away when I needed you to stay. Just open up your arms I need you here. I can do this on my own; I've got nothing left to show. Open up your arms I need you here! 

The song's really a lot longer, but I smooshed a couple of the Chorus's together. 3 minute song actually.

13: Dusty Mornings

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Light leaked in through my bedroom window, spreading itself out in long lines along my dusty comforter. My sneeze woke up. I looked around dizzily, still delirious from the sneeze. Dust covered me in blankets, from the dust had fallen from the ceiling as I sneezed. I coughed once. "We have some major cleaning to do." I stumbled over to my back pack, pulling out some fresh clothes for the day, though they were most likely to get soiled from the cleaning ahead. I changed quickly, and then stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, forgetting to comb my bed head down.

The scent of eggs drifted its up the stairs, and I stepped down the great stair case into the large drawing room, where the massive curtains had been pulled back. Demyx, Axel and Zexion sat in dainty chairs that had been finished with a bronze around the edges and fine fabric, each with their own plate of food. They gave me a casual 'good morning' and a wave.

I felt a smirk find its way across my face; I could hear laughs coming from the kitchen. Life poured into this dead building like a flood, the giggles growing sweeter as I entered the kitchen. Inside, Charlotte and Kairi were washing old dishes, refining their former beauty. The China looked very delicate, I wasn't too sure Charlotte should be _shaking _with laughter while she dried them and put them away in already cleaned cupboards. I put my hands on her shoulders, steadying her.

"How long have you two been awake cleaning?"

That was the first question that came to mind when I saw her rosy face. Kairi smiled, carefully running a wash cloth over the plate. "Since five or six, we had to clean the cupboards out and wash the dishes….then Sora and Tami ran down to the store for food and supplies. We made a few phone calls, got the water turning back on…..who knew this house had a water line already in? Didn't take long, and the guy even put in an electric water heater for us, he was very nice. The drawing room didn't get finished, but we'll get back to that after breakfast." Kairi said, handing another piece of China to Charlotte.

"Why don't you have some too? We have a ton of cleaning and airing out to do today, you'll need it," Charlotte offered, drying the plate and putting it gently on the others. I took one, still warm, and grabbed some omelet in the pan. "Thanks. Hopefully my wings don't get in the way." I folded them up as best as I could as I walked out of the kitchen, pecking Charlotte on the cheek before walking away with my food.

I quickly ate my food, savoring it as long as I could, washed it myself, and handed it to Charlotte. "Okay, there, I'll go get my blankets from my room, get yours, and I'll run them down to the laundry mat. This dust can't be good for us." I told the girls, leaving the large kitchen. I entered the drawing room again, seeing the guys leaving and walking back to the kitchen to wash their plates. They must be here to help.

I sprinted back up to my room, pulling the tight sheets and comforter off, running my hands over the old embroidery as I set them on the floor. I bit my lip, these were old, very old. Hopefully the washer wouldn't ruin them. Anyway, they would soon be restored to their previous warm glow.

I felt some one come in behind me, turning the light on. "Look we got the electricity working and everything." It was Axel.

I looked down at my bare bed, a mouse eaten lump of springs. "Man, how _did _I sleep on that? Where are the mice?" I pulled it off, the box underneath still usable, we would also have to go and get new mattresses for everyone. Axel chuckled. "Kairi said she found a lot of dead mice around, they must've died from hunger. She said she didn't hear any last night so they must've moved off."

"Good. Mice are annoying."

I handed my blankets and sheets to Axel, and dragged the mattress out, leaning in against a wall in the drawing room. Lucifer made a face at my mattress. "Is yours better?" I asked hopefully. Lucifer shook his head, "Eaten out."

I grimaced. I had money, a lot of it at that. But it was back at home, on Earth, my college fund. Well, I could check out this bank under my name, see if there's anything there. Who knows? These worlds are very magical. I sighed, pulling my wallet out with my driver's license in it. "Axel! I'm going down to the bank. I might have some money in there for new stuff," I called over to him. He came to my side.

"I'll come. I know the people at that bank, which might help."

I nodded, and Axel and I left.

-----At the Bank------

"You have eighteen thousand, five hundred and sixty three dollars in your account."

My jaw dropped. The lady handed my license back. "Yep, we were wondering when you'd want some of it. The interest has been building up….and I'd say there's about a thousand more than that now. So around twenty thousand you have. As for you," She turned to Axel. "You have about ten thousand."

Axel winked at me. Oh, it was his somebody who had had all that money…Lea wasn't it? How did that lady recognize him?

"Well, I'd like to take out about….five thousand of that." I said, holding my jaw tight. My college money. I'd worked _so _hard for that….at crappy jobs all over Frankfort. "Cash, credit, or checks?" she asked, I thought for a moment.

"Give me a credit. You'll be able to track it if some one steals it right?" I was worried about my money. She nodded, smiling. She walked away, coming back with a translucent black card, the words 'Savings' carved up in the top. She handed it to me. "Thanks," I stiffly took the card, and exited with Axel.

"See, that was easy." Axel said as we set foot on the golden streaked street. Twilight town always looked like it was midday when it was actually around nine in the morning. I nodded, stuffing the card in my wallet. Time for mattress shopping.

Demyx was running around the house with dirtying sheets when we got back, Kairi, Tami, and Charlotte all laughing as he ran about gathering all the blankets. "We're going to run down to the laundry mat. Did you find any money?" Charlotte asked, coming up to me. I smiled, and she took that as a yes. "Good. We'll need it."

"Yeah, I'll get a washer and dryer and they'll be ready to use by tomorrow once we get them hooked up and everything. That way we don't have to keep on breaking dollars for quarters." Charlotte looked excited, her smile stretched easily across her face.

Hectic trips back and forth to the store back to the mansion went on all day, tried feet finally coming to retire at the fireplace at nine o'clock that night. I collapsed into an old velvet couch, kicked my shoes off and folding my wings back. Folding and flapping my wings came as second nature to me, I did it without noticing it now. Axel and Demyx dumped themselves on the seats as well, Zexion taking his solemn place in a single chair farther away from the hot fire. The girls walked in, laughing at our positions.

"Wow, you guys are tired already?" Tami asked, just as Sora came in too, falling in the opposite side of me on the couch.

"Well they did do all the heavy lifting," Charlotte put in. Thank you Charlotte. I had the feeling Tami would be the one to push us on.

"Let's see, what did we get today? How much is finished?" Kairi asked sweetly, Lucifer coming up behind her to wrap his arms around her.

I listed them off, my credit card had been weighed down. "Let's see, we got a new table for the dining room, since Riku broke it a while ago. Cleaned a lot of rooms, replaced all the mattresses, washed _all _the blankets and sheets –though the laundry mat people looked at as funny- finished the kitchen, this room still needs finished by the way. Um…..got a new fridge, got the washer and dryer hooked up….filled the fridge……replaced the stove, got some new rugs for around the house…new pillows…..and the list goes on and on and on." I explained coolly. "My credit has like, nothing left. Tomorrow I'll get more out if we need it. In the mean time," I stood up, walking over to Charlotte, "I'm going to bed. Sleep well every one."

I gave Charlotte a passionate good night kiss on the lips and made my way to the stairs. I could feel shocked eyes at my action, I laughed, turning back to grab Charlotte's hand. "Come on," I whispered in her ear.

I led her through the silent halls, softly lit, and pulled her gently across the new rugs. I clicked her door open, my wings fluttering out of control like butterflies. When I opened it up I heard her gasp. This room she was sharing with Kairi, I had totally transformed. The two full beds were absolutely sparkling with their clean comforters, the original embroidery stunning as it shone in the gentle light. The big window that was next to Charlotte's bed was wide open, the curtains drawn back and the moon shining through it ever so quietly.

She stepped ahead, but looked back when I didn't follow her. She came back and grabbed my hand again. Her warm hand over mine, tugging me forward. I sat down on her bed as she went over to the window, sitting on the long window seat, looking out through the crystal clear glass. The heavy curtains rested neatly behind her, acting as a small cushion to the hard wall.

"Do you like it?" I had had to swap the window seat too, since it had been pretty ruined.

"I love it." She answered thoughtfully as she turned her glowing face back to me.

I smiled, "Good. Now time for bed, you look bushed."

Her expression hardened. "I'm not tired….but could you stay here with me till I get sleepy?" I nodded, holding the covers up for her as she slid underneath. I took my place on the window seat, letting my wings out, and sprawl out behind me. Charlotte giggled a bit, and I looked back at her, her face bright with a shade of moonlight on it. "What's so funny?" I asked, smirking a bit at her gentle smile.

"Nothing. I'm just-," She yawned, "-Thinking about how much you look like a fictional character. I'm waiting to wake up and realize that this was all a crazy dream….wake up back in Frankfort, Indiana. I mean, I hope it isn't, but I can think of my embarrassed face when I'd figure out that this was all…so fake. Then the next day I'd tell you my dream, and you'd laugh that old carefree laugh, the one you used to use. I loved that laugh."

I walked over to her, hanging my wings over myself, and looking down into her eyes. "Good night, love."

"Sleep tight, _my _love." She replied, closed her eyes, with one last smile.

I pulled the covers over her shoulders, whispering words I didn't know I had in me.

"Thoughts of old times and dreams to pass, the light will shine through. You'll know what's real and what's not. Darkness is only the curtain that blocks the light's path to the weak. And you must be the person who draws back that curtain. You _are _that person. For that curtain is very dusty-," I chuckled at that, "-some people are just too scared to pull it back and see what's there. The light in your heart is strong, needing only that person to draw the curtains back so that your light can shine through the darkness."

So I left a small kiss on her cheek, and went to my room, closing the door with a small smile upon my lips.

I'll love you forever Charlotte.

And believe me, this is real.

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I haven't made up my mind if I want this to be the ending….but I can't do it! I love my characters too much! I CAN'T DO IT! They're my best friends, and I know them very well….how will I ever say goodbye? Hmm…so sad. But this is not the end, I'll go onto fifteen like a said I would :,)


	14. Iced Over

I'm getting sadder and solemner as the chapters wear on….I don't think I can take the end coming so fast…..

Sorry for the typos in this chapter, I wanted to get it out quickly.

I've got a quote for you today.

"_The one thing I do know, is that, "to love" doesn't mean to only love what's in front of you, but also the past and future."- Kyo Sohma_

Bonus Chapter.

14: Iced Over

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A frosty chill found its way under the sheets as the morning light filtered in through the thick curtains covering the large window. I yawned, rubbing sleep chunks from my eyes. I looked over at Kairi bed, my eyesight still vaguely blurry. "Aw," I whispered. Lucifer was next to Kairi his arms wrapped securely around her. Wonder if she got lonely. Well anyway, she's quite safe now.

I pushed the blankets back, the cold air biting at my pale, warm legs as the light hit them. I slid out of bed, rushing to the window, feeling very childlike in my excitement. I pushing the curtains back a bit, looking out into the yard. It was a winter wonderland of sparkling snow. There must have been feet of it! What month was it? How long had it been December if it was? I was still in my pajamas, but I rushed over to my shoes, pulling them on. Childlike indeed. I grabbed my jacket and gloves, pulling them on as well. Then I dashed quietly out of the room.

I wonder what it must have looked like if anyone saw me, surely strange. Immature. But I was extremely excited. It had been a while since snow had fallen for me. I escaped the fleetingly warm house, my feet finding themselves on wet ground at last. I was in the back yard. I ran through it, my long coat covering my pajamas. I picked up a snow ball, ready to try my aim at that tree, but I could hear some one coming. I dropped it, and ran to the nearest wide tree. I heard the sliding door open and close gently as I took my place behind the iced tree. Their breathing was steady, but the feeling of safety couldn't help but wash over me, happiness found its way to my face. How could my brain predict these kinds of things?

"Burr….how can you stand being out in this kind of cold?" He asked, eve though he had not seen me yet. Obviously, his _Anti Angel _senses knew I was there.

I picked up another snow ball, packing it tightly. Then I came out from behind my shield and chucked it at him. It smacked the side of his face with a gratifying 'plop!' I laughed out loud at his bewildered expression. "Don't you know me well enough to know I'd do that?" I asked, calming down from my laughed hysteria. He smiled playfully, scooping up a ball of white mush. He threw it, but I ducked, laughing again. Before I knew it, he had thrown another one at me, and I had been laughing too hard to notice it, it hit me squarely between the eyes.

"Ow." The cold bit at my cheeks, and the water ran down my face.

Arms wrapped around me, pulling me up into a large hug. I laughed as Gabriel smiled widely, embracing me tightly. He kissed me lovingly on the lips, and the world disappeared around me. Falling into pieces, but he picked them up and ended the kiss. He set me down, taking hold of my hand quickly, as if it might run away or end up to be a dream. He smiled relieved when my hand was securely trapped in his.

I chuckled, a slight blush dawning on my face. He stayed sort of quiet, leading me back into the house, the smells of breakfast wafting their way in through the halls. I stopped in my tracks, a weird sense of perfection washing over me. Gabriel looked back at me, not releasing my hand.

"Gabriel, why is everything so wonderful?"

He laughed hard, scooping me up in his strong arms. Dark wings enclosed around us, and he kissed me again. "God has blessed us greatly. That's why. I'm so thankful….." Light found us again, and Sora was standing there. I jumped, and Gabriel chuckled. "What do you need, Sora?"

His face reddened once he realized what he had caught us doing. "Well…um….I was going to tell you that me and Tami are moving out."

Gabriel stood up straight, unrelenting his hold on me. "Oh really? Where are you guys going?"

"We're going to go stay at Disney Castle. Do you think you guys could watch over the mansion by yourselves?"

My brain did a double take. "By ourselves? Where are Kairi and Lucifer?"

Sora raised both eye brows this time, his hand behind his neck. "Well I guess you two don't know since you went to bed early last night….but we talked about it. Lucifer and Kairi went to live in The Land of Dragons. The left early this morning. So will you guys be okay here alone?" Gabriel smiled truly over at him, pulling me as close as I would come.

"Yeah, we'll be fine. Besides, we've got the organization looking after us."

Sora looked comforted, "Good. Well me 'n Tami will be going then. Breakfast is on the table."

He turned, meeting Tami at the doorway. Goodbyes were exchanged and soon, they were gone. The house seemed to groan as a light wind hit it, and the floorboard creaked, drafts blew through….utter silence. Without warning, Gabriel laughed greatly, taking me up in his arms again –he had set me down- and kissed me yet again. "Man! So much tension! What's wrong?" He chuckled, looking brightly into my shocked face….which was slowly turning a pinkish color.

"Dunno. Time feels like it's sped up….like the end of something has come, and the beginning of something new is here. It's…freeing."

Gabriel laughed again, he sounded freed too, like a large weight had been lifted successfully off his large shoulders. "You know what? It feels that way for me too. Everything's sort of jumbled up into one package, and we're slowly opening it up and finding new things. We have our own place! Wow! You've changed a lot, and you're what, a year older now? Me, I'm part anti angel, we've really changed a lot. I mean, even if we did get home, it wouldn't work out. See, because, we're not part of that world anymore. When I found myself on a sandy beach with water and sand in all the wrong places, memory of you lost, I didn't feel right. I felt like I shouldn't have been at that place….but here with you, wings coming out of my back, a fantasy character, it's right. And I love it."

I smiled in deeply, worries of meaningless things passing quickly. I reached up and hung one arm around his neck, pulling my lips up to his ear. "I'm hungry," I said, my voice cracking short of a laugh.

"Okay then, let's see what we have to eat."

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Too good to be true, but it's a happy ending, and I realized I must finish this story for it to really be over. I'll try to make the last chapter much more…real.

I am greatly indebted to all my reviewers, tho, even if I didn't have you I would have gone on, but I'm sincerely glad you enjoyed the story. May the force be with you, and God bless.

The last chapter is coming soon.


	15. End of Tomorrow

As I started to write the last chapter for Shadow of a Doubt, I was shot in the head. With the biggest idea that has ever come across this story. So if you are reading this, do stay tuned for the fan fic that will make this my favorite Trilogy I have ever written…and my first. Oh my goodness, this is huge.

Nice and long.

15: End of Tomorrow.

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---------------3 months later---------------------------------

DPOV

"Where's Xero?! We need to get him here now! Right this moment! We're in big, big trouble!" I said loudly throughout the halls, turning every corner sharply trying to find the main hall about somewhere. I hit something dark and cold then.

"What happened? What's wrong?" A deep, authority filled voice asked.

I stepped back, my expression running stern and blank, as serious as it could ever get. I swallowed hard, holding a piece of paper out. A black seal touched the envelope, holding it closed, waiting for its receiver. "It can only be opened by Xero, look who it's from," I said quietly, feeling something that resembled a cold stone in my stomach. Uncomfortable. Saix's eyes flitted across the back of the paper, reading the name of the correspondent. His pupils grew small, eyes widening. He was statue-like at that moment.

"Get Xero over here as fast as you can. You're right, we are in a great dilemma, and in quite deep I should say."

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GPOV

"Come on Char, make up your mind!" I chuckled under my breath; my girlfriend was taking an extra amount of time to decide.

She laughed slightly, her eyes quickly scanning across the different brands of ramen on the shelf. "Instant?" She asked, holding up a plastic package. I sighed, yet another decision she would have to make. Though at last these small, inferior choices meant something, we were free of the battles. We could at least try to live a normal life now, together. I suspected everyone thought the same thing; everyone was doing the same thing. Picking up where evil had dropped them at, finding their lives again. I think we were doing the same. Finding our own way in this world….out of the many others.

"Okay, fine then, I'll get instant. They come in many varieties of flavors," She shifted over to the left, now eyeing the array of flavors set out. More decisions. Finally, she picked out some, and dumped them in the cart, and we continued on.

We would wait in line, feeling extra normal, which was a good feeling.

Then leave the store, holding bags filled with food items, perhaps some candy too, walking over to my car….so ordinary. It felt so…freeing. Charlotte would carefully arrange the bags so that the eggs wouldn't crush if something rolled over on it, I would replace the cart, and twilight would hit the hood of the black Mercedes with a glint of sunshine. It was all so calming. Although it was muddy around the roads, fresh form the large deals of rain we had gotten, just the presents April gave you. Rain, new life, mossy wet stuff in the yard.

I slid into the front seat, swinging my legs in and shutting the door behind me. Charlotte got in at the passenger side, careful to lock her seat belt and take extra time doing it. She had noticed it too. That feeling…

The horrible sense of ending.

Like this would all pass away soon, like a newborn kitten, struggling to breathe. It was so cute, so harmless, so….alive. You were afraid it might suddenly stop inhaling air. Stop beating it's lungs to push on. This life style might end.

Evil would once again rein the worlds, and we would be back in the turmoil of it all. Fighting. Risking everything to save the worlds again. Not that we didn't like saving people. But it's not exactly what I'd like to do in life. I was young, my life there to be taken, to be used. And I was using it, for the good of other people's lives.

Charlotte looked over at me, the certain look that dawned my face was not unknown to her, she knew what I felt. She reached over and grabbed hold of my hand, pulling it towards her, and kissing it lightly. "It'll be okay, I know it will. Just give it time. Evil may come back, but what can we do? Change that," She put my hand down, looking into my eyes.

"You see Gabriel; we have the power to change things. To change bad ways. We can fix it. God has given us the power to do so. So, since God has done this, we must fulfill it. It is our job in life. To use that power which was given to us to use for good, and dispel evil."

I smiled gently, she always had a good way with words, like she molded them together in a comforting way, in just the right amount of time, she would leave no one waiting. God had obviously given her that gift also. "You're right Char, I'm sorry for thinking that way….now let's go home."

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DPOV

Three others met me in the portal, coming to help, I accepted and we entered the dark portal. Axel was filled with tension, his green eyes dead ahead, grave and somber. His pal, Roxas, was just behind, his expression unsure of the situation. He didn't like this, no one did, it was….heart ripping…not that we had hearts….

Zexion trailed sharply behind me, he had always known Gabriel well, giving advice and information at a time like this, he felt he was needed. Of course, I was the messenger, I had to go, and I would never pass up letting some other member who didn't even know Xero to pass on the letter. It was a solemn message and for me, to deliver it, it was hard. I couldn't find anything I could try and perk up the mood with, it was tough. Tough like a piece of Xigbar's homemade meatloaf…eck.

The black sealed envelope sent chills down my spine, poor Xero, what this could only mean for him! To get a note from Lord Averira, it was…frightening. What could this mean? Had Xero done something wrong? Should I open it prior to giving it to him? Maybe I should find out what it says first so I can warn him….no. That's a dumb idea.

Here it is, The Old Haunted Mansion. AKA Xero and Charlotte's current home. It has been for four months at least.

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GPOV

I set groceries on the wooden counter, just as Charlotte put them carefully in the fridge and cupboards. I stuffed the left over bags in a drawer, hoping Charlotte didn't see me do it. She turned around to face me, curious about what I had just done, but asked a different question.

"What do you want for supper? Curry and rice? Or…we could have a ton of ramen and sit down with a movie?"

"How about, we have the curry and rice…with ramen and the movie?" I laughed, walking past her to the fridge. "With some…tofu?"

It was her turn to laugh. "No! How about since my stomach isn't big enough –unlike yours- to eat all this stuff, why don't we stick to curry, and the rice, plus the movie in the drawing room," She concluded. I chuckled, nodding. A stiff knock clapped hard against the heavy front door, I kissed her cheek and made my way over. I could hear her as she got the ingredients out and a pot.

My brain seemed to be listening to everything over time, just for that second. I had a dark feeling rush down my back, shaking my wings, the floor boards gave out their loudest moans. My ears, they felt like they were bleeding as the sounds got stronger, the sense got heavier. The door was drawing closer as I walked towards it, my mind under a lot of pressure; it felt like it would break me down. This insufferable feeling, crawling all over, under my skin, pushing past my muscles and veins…agh!

I made it to the door. The weight grew as I reached out my arm to twist the door knob and pull the door open. When it finally came open, a cool breeze blew in, clearing my head, though the pain remained in the back of my throat. Demyx, Axel, Roxas and Zexion stood there, as I had feared, their facial expressions trying to look like they were okay, but not pulling through. Demyx clutched a piece of paper behind his back, smiling vigorously, trying to block out the horror filled aura they gave off. I just stared at them, their faking was obvious, though it threw me off, this must be bad. Some one approaching behind me made me move over.

"What is it Gabe?" She pushed my startled figure out of the way poking hands at my back trying to shift me to the left of the door frame. When she got me out of the way, she got out enough to see the faces of our visitors. "Demyx! Axel, Roxas and Zexion too? Awesome! Come in!"

She turned around a to face me, stern faced, placing both hands on my chest in attempt to push my frozen body out of the way so they could come in, but I didn't budge. "What is it that is so gravely come over you guys to come here at this hour?" Charlotte stopped trying, instead stepping over to the side, the look on my face must have been intimidating.

Demyx cleared his throat, and sniffed up what seemed to be a slight cold. Then one sort of shaky, gloved hand stretched out and put something in front of me.

A letter.

"Wha…?" I was confused.

Demyx's brow twisted up and furrowed, as he shook his head awkwardly. "No. It's not good this time. His black seal of Sin is undoubtedly bad news."

I swallowed deeply, stepping inside and opening the door more, inviting those who were outside in the lit drizzle to come in. They made their way across the threshold, a great shadow looming over them, eyes darkened with grief. I smiled warmly over at Charlotte, trying to reassure her that everything would be okay. I excused her off to the kitchen, what would be worse is if the whole house burnt down from her leaving the stove on unwatched.

"I'll take care of this," I whispered in her ear. My back facing the men that quietly stood in the corner of the foyer, all hands snuggly put in their pockets. I kissed Charlotte passionately on the lips, leaving her breathless, her heart pounding like a fleshy drum, and making me smile with delight. "This will be done quickly, and then we'll watch that movie."

She rushed off, probably hoping I wouldn't see the profound blush in her cheeks.

I flipped around to face my comrades. "Okay! Let's see what this says."

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_Son of the great Anti angel Dark, I do hereby accuse you of certain murder of your brother, Cole. _

_This you are guilty of since January the first, on the twelfth hour. _

_This crime is unforgivable, for you to kill your only twin. _

_So as to repent for your great Sin to the King of the Angels, Dark and Light, you will have to give me your first born son. _

_He will suffer much pain in his time, and become the Angel of Light in your realm. _

_You will remain an Angel of Darkness, never allowed to age one day, as the whole world passes around you._

_You will watch your son go through pain, and your family dies and leaves you for the after life, but you shall suffer alone till you have fulfilled this horrible Sin. _

_Sincerely, _

_Lord Averira. _

_------------_

"On the bright side, I'm not going to die again," I chuckled half heartedly.

Demyx rolled his eyes, "Way to be optimistic."

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To clear some things up, Lord Averira is the King of Angels, the time succeeding Angels, Dark and Light (Dark, was Anti Angel, now known as Gabriel and/or Xero. Light was the Angel, who was known as Cole…but since Gabe killed Cole, Gabriel's son –not born yet- will become the new Angel, replacing the man Gabriel killed.)

Now, Lord Averira refers to Gabriel and Cole as twins, because the Angel and Anti Angel are twins. Brothers. Dark and Light were brothers in the past, so that makes the Anti Angel and the Angel brothers (tho that doesn't seriously make a lot of sense when it's Gabriel's son who's going to be the next Angel, so just for get about that little detail then, please.)

And another thing, for future reference, the reason why I capitalize 'Sin' is because in this story, 'Sin' is a pawn of Lord Averira, and whenever some one does something to his Angel's (Dark and Light) he sends his monster, 'Sin' after them. In this case, he is sending the monster after his own son (Dark and Light were the sons of the great King of the angel's so….hopefully now you understand)

Okay, so I really hope you like the idea, and that you'll read the third one…I just have to finish that stupid Avatar fan fiction first, so, you guys'll have to wait. But I'll get the first draft done and get it out as soon as it's finished. BYEZ!

OH! And that makes Gabriel royalty! Bow down! Just kidding.


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